The main content

Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna

Ingredients

  • Salt

  • 1 pound Campanelle pasta

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • 1/4 pound pancetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped

  • 3/4 pound ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef

  • 1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped

  • 1 small to medium onion, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled

  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1/2 cup dry red wine

  • 2 cups beef stock

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 3 tablespoons flour

  • 2 cups milk

  • Nutmeg, to taste

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table

Directions

Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat EVOO in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2-3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4-5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3-4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8-10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.