The “Perfect” Lasagna

Assembly

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the carrot, celery, and onion. Saute, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Season with salt, add the garlic and chili flakes, and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste coats the bottom of the pan and turns a deep, brick red color, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
6. As it cooks, season with salt and use a wooden spoon or spatula to smash the meat and break it into small bits.
7. Stir in the milk and wine, and bring to a simmer.
8. Add the oregano, cover, and reduce to the lowest temperature. Simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove from heat and skim most of the fat (not all of it, leave a little bit for flavor).
10. Season with more salt, if desired.
11. Make the ricotta béchamel while the bolognese simmers. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat.
12. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula.
13. In a steady stream, whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook on medium-low for 1 minute to thicken.
14. Stir in the salt and nutmeg and remove from heat.
15. Let cool for 15 minutes, then stir in the ricotta cheese. Season with more salt, if desired.
16. Heat the oven to 375°F and brush a 9x13 inch pan with olive oil.
17. Boil the lasagna noodles in a large pot of heavily salted water to just under al dente (usually about 1 minute less than the package’s instructions).
18. Drain and slick them with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
19. Spread ¾ cup of the ricotta béchamel on the bottom of the pan and top with a layer of noodles, with little to no overlap.
20. Spread another ¾ cup of béchamel on top of the noodles, then spread ¼ of the bolognese on top (about 1¼ cups).
21. Top with a liberal dusting of parmesan cheese (about ⅓ cup).
22. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat this layering process 4 more times, giving you 5 layers of pasta. You should have used the last of the bolognese on the 4th layer.
23. Top the final layer with the remaining béchamel, the remaining parmesan, and all of the mozzarella cheese.
24. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the sauce bubbles up on the sides and the top is browned.
25. Let cool 15 minutes, sprinkle the chopped parsley on top, slice, and serve.

Note: Most conventional dried lasagna noodle packages have enough noodles to do 4 layers of 4 noodles. Since OUR lasagna is 5 layers, use a knife or kitchen shears to cut 3 of the noodles in half. Use the halves in lieu of a full sheet, giving each layer of the lasagna 3½ noodles instead of 4.