Bolognese Lasagna with Porcini-Ricotta Filling

Rich with pancetta or bacon and meaty mushrooms, this lasagna goes well with inexpensive Italian red wines like Chianti or Montepulciano.

Bolognese Lasagna with Porcini-Ricotta Filling
Photo: Blaine Moats
Prep Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Bake Time:
50 mins
Stand Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
12

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce bulk Italian sausage

  • 8 ounce ground beef

  • 1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

  • ½ cup finely chopped carrot (1 medium)

  • ½ cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 small)

  • ¼ cup chopped celery

  • 3 ounce pancetta or bacon, chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste

  • ½ cup dry red wine or chicken broth

  • ¼ cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed

  • 2 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ½ cup whole milk

  • 15 dried lasagna noodles

  • 1 recipe Porcini-Parmesan Sauce

  • 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (4 ounces)

  • Snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Porcini-Parmesan Sauce

  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 3 tablespoon butter

  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1 ½ cup whole milk

  • ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth

  • 1 15 ounce carton ricotta cheese

  • 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (4 ounces)

  • ¼ cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

  • ¼ cup snipped fresh basil

  • ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. For meat sauce, in a 4-quart Dutch oven cook sausage, ground beef, onion, carrot, sweet pepper, celery, pancetta, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is brown and onion is tender, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.

  2. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, dried basil and oregano (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk and fresh basil and oregano (if using).

  3. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of an ungreased 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Top with three of the noodles and 2 cups of the meat sauce. Top with three more noodles and half of the Porcini-Parmesan Sauce. Repeat layering noodles, meat sauce, noodles, and Porcini-Parmesan Sauce. Top with the remaining three noodles and the remaining meat sauce.

  5. Place lasagna in a foil-lined shallow baking pan; cover lasagna with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

Porcini-Parmesan Sauce

  1. In a small bowl combine mushrooms and enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 10 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

  2. In a large saucepan cook and stir garlic in butter over medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir in flour until combined. Slowly stir in milk and wine or chicken broth (milk may curdle if using wine, but sauce will appear smooth when finished). Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, and salt. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

487 Calories
25g Fat
39g Carbs
24g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 487
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 977mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 19.5mg 97%
Calcium 353.4mg 27%
Iron 3.6mg 20%
Potassium 745mg 16%
Folate, total 104.8mcg
Vitamin B-12 1.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.5mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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