Recipe Reveal: DeLuca’s lasagna bolognese

Every week on Global News Morning, recipes from restaurants around the city are featured on Recipe Reveal.

Here’s how Deluca’s makes their lasagna bolognese:

LASAGNA ALLA BOLOGNESE

INGREDIENTS:    MAKES 9×13 inch pan

 500g                       Fresh Lasagna

250g                       Parmigiano Reggiano – grated

2 tbsp                     Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Béchamel Sauce:

1L                            Milk

100g                       Butter

100g                       Flour – sifted

Pinch                      Nutmeg

to taste                  Salt

Bolognese Sauce:

200g                       Ground Veal

200g                       Ground Pork

100g                       Ground Italian Sausage

1                              Onion – finely diced

1                              Carrot – finely diced

1 stalk                     Celery – finely diced

40g                         Tomato Paste

3 tbsp                     Extra Virgin Olive Oil

50g                         Butter

1 cup                      Red Wine

1 cup                      Water

To taste Salt & Pepper

BECHAMEL SAUCE:  Place milk in a saucepan and turn heat to low. Let the milk warm but not come to a boil.  Melt the butter in another saucepan on low to medium heat.  Once its fully melted, add the flour slowly while whisking together and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes so the flour cooks lightly.  Add the warm milk slowly while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.  Continue whisking until a creamy texture is formed and mixture comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and season with salt and nutmeg to taste.

BOLOGNESE SAUCE:  In a large pot, heat the oil and butter.  Add the carrots, onion and celery and sauté until golden brown.  Add the ground meat and cook until the meat browns.  Add the wine and stir together.  Cook until the alcohol evaporates.  In a separate small bowl, add the tomato paste and dilute it with a bit of water. Add the tomato paste mixture to the sauce and stir to incorporate.

Lower the heat and season with salt.  Add the water a bit at a time as needed to keep the mixture slightly moist as it cooks on low heat.  Let the sauce cook on low, adding a bit of water as needed, for an hour to 1 ½ hours.  Stir sauce occasionally to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Let the sauce come to a boil and add the pepper. Adjust for salt if needed.

ASSEMBLY:  Brush the bottom of the pan with the 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.  Add a thin layer of the meat sauce to bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with a bit of parmigiano reggiano and top with a layer of fresh pasta.  Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce onto the pasta.  Top with some of the meat sauce and then sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano. Continue this process until you have completed 4 layers.  On the top layer, sprinkle more generously with the parmigiano reggiano.  Bake in a pre-heated 300F oven, uncovered, for 1 hour.  Let set for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.