A generous tray of lasagna layered with savory meat ragù, silky béchamel, and deeply melted cheese. The tomato sauce is concentrated, the beef flavorful, and the layers moist yet stable when sliced. A straightforward home-style lasagna built around the classic structure rather than unnecessary extras.
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Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the vegetables for 6 to 7 minutes, until soft and just beginning to brown around the edges. Add the ground garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Increase to medium-high heat and add the ground beef, 25% of the salt, and half the pepper. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat while still allowing it enough contact with the pan to brown, until deeply browned with no pink liquid remaining.
Add the red wine and scrape the bottom thoroughly for 2 minutes, until the sharp alcoholic aroma disappears. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute; add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, 15% of the salt, and 200 ml of the water. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ragù is thick, glossy, and shows no separated watery liquid on the surface. Remove the bay leaf.
While the ragù simmers, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the béchamel is smooth and coats the spoon in a thin layer. Season with the nutmeg, the remaining half of the pepper, and 25% of the salt.
Bring the remaining water to a boil in a large pot with the remaining 35% of the salt. Cook the lasagna sheets for 4 to 5 minutes, only until flexible but still firm. Drain and separate them immediately so they do not stick together.
Heat the oven to 190°C. Spread a thin layer of ragù over the bottom of the baking dish, then build layers of lasagna, ragù, béchamel, and mozzarella, spreading each component all the way to the edges. Repeat until the ingredients are used up and finish with béchamel, the remaining mozzarella, and all the Parmesan. The layers should be moist and fully covered without pools of sauce.
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the top is deeply golden, the cheese is bubbling, and the sauce gently bubbles around the edges. Remove with oven mitts and rest for 10 minutes before slicing. And that's it! If each portion holds together while still looking juicy between the layers, the lasagna landed exactly where it should 😌
