# The Ultimate Lasagna

This recipe shows how to make a layered lasagna with meat sauce, béchamel sauce, and various cheeses.

- Servings: 8 servings
- Total time: 70 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 0.5 pound ground sirloin
- 0.5 pound pork sausage
- 1 slice prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onions
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 0.5 cup red wine
- 1 can whole san marzano tomatoes
- 1 bottle passata (strained tomatoes)
- 1 whole carrot
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups béchamel sauce
- 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1 cup fontina cheese
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese

## Instructions

1. Combine ground sirloin, pork sausage, and prosciutto in a bowl and shape into 5 or 6 large meat balls.
2. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown the meatballs for about a minute on each side in batches, not overcrowding the pan.
3. Reduce heat, add onions and salt. Cook until translucent (5-7 minutes).
4. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and crushed fennel seeds. Sauté until fragrant.
5. Add tomato paste and stir frequently until the color turns a dark red (3-4 minutes).
6. Deglaze the pan with red wine (or beef stock/water). Scrape up all flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
7. Add San Marzano tomatoes and passata. Add a whole carrot (to absorb acidity and add sweetness). Stir in butter.
8. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
9. Discard the carrot and use a potato masher to crush the meatballs into smaller pieces.
10. Season the sauce more to taste and add a teaspoon of sugar if needed. Stir in fresh basil leaves (hand-torn).
11. In a separate pan, melt the butter until it starts to foam.
12. Add flour and cook until there are no lumps and the roux hasn't browned (about 3 minutes).
13. Slowly add milk while whisking until evenly incorporated. Add salt, garlic powder, and nutmeg, and keep whisking until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
14. Turn off the heat, and stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
15. Grease the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Make the first layer with meat sauce, to prevent noodles from sticking to the pan.
16. Add lasagna noodles. Soak noodles in hot water and olive oil for 5-10 minutes until softened, before adding to the dish.
17. Add béchamel sauce, meat sauce, fontina, mozzarella. Repeat layers 4 times, ending with a layer of noodles and béchamel sauce.
18. Top with remaining fontina and fresh mozzarella cheese. Add grated Parmesan.
19. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F (190°C).
20. Remove foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

## Equipment

- large pot
- baking dish
- whisk
- potato masher
- mortar and pestle
- knife

## Source

- Original video: https://youtu.be/qEowX-vOb4E?si=L4E7Gmeld3XvNA8B
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/bb3a6671-6238-49e8-836d-899b96049679
- Extracted: 2025-01-15

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt