Layers of pasta with a homemade beef Bolognese, silky béchamel, and plenty of melted cheese. This version keeps the classic structure of ragù, white sauce, and Parmesan while embracing the mozzarella-rich finish familiar in Peruvian lasagna. Juicy inside, golden on top, and firm enough to slice after a proper rest.
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Finely chop the onion and carrot. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook both for 6 to 7 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef, black pepper, and a little more than half the salt; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no raw color remains and the beef begins to brown against the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot; let it boil for 2 minutes. Add the chopped or crushed tomatoes and oregano. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the Bolognese is thick and glossy but still juicy enough to moisten the pasta.
While the Bolognese finishes, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking, until it forms a smooth paste with no raw-flour aroma. Gradually whisk in the fresh milk to prevent lumps. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the sauce is silky and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Add the nutmeg and remaining salt, then remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, followed by Bolognese, béchamel, some mozzarella, and a little Parmesan. Repeat until the ingredients are used up, spreading the sauces all the way to the edges. Finish with béchamel and the remaining cheeses. The pasta sheets should be completely surrounded by sauce so they can finish hydrating as the lasagna bakes.
Bake for 30 minutes with the dish covered to retain moisture. Uncover and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the surface is golden, the cheese is bubbling, and a knife passes through the pasta layers without hard resistance. Remove with oven mitts and rest for 12 minutes before slicing. And that's it! If the slice stands up while the inside stays juicy and the mozzarella performs its little dramatic cheese pull, it came out exactly right. 😌
