Lasagna alla Bolognese with meat ragù and creamy béchamel

Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic cloves.

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until softened.

Add the ground beef and ground pork. SAFE HANDLING: Ensure raw meat is cooked thoroughly until browned and handle raw juices with care by washing hands and tools immediately.

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the canned tomatoes and the beef stock cube dissolved in 100ml of hot water.

Stir in the minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Lower the heat and simmer gently for at least 90 minutes.

Check the ragù consistency; it should be thick and rich. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Keep warm until ready to assemble the lasagna layers.

Measure out the butter, flour, and milk. Pre-heat the milk slightly in a separate pan or microwave.

Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

Whisk in the all-purpose flour to form a roux and cook for 2 minutes while stirring constantly to avoid browning.

Slowly add a small amount of warm milk, whisking vigorously to incorporate and remove any lumps.

Continue adding the milk in stages, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.

Simmer the sauce for 5-7 minutes until it reaches a velvety, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency.

Season with ground nutmeg and salt. Remove from heat.

Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming as it cools slightly.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and finely grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Lightly grease a rectangular baking dish with butter or oil.

Spread a few spoonfuls of Meat Ragù over the bottom of the dish to prevent the pasta from sticking.

Place a layer of lasagna sheets over the sauce, trimming edges if necessary to fit the dish.

Add a layer of ragù, followed by a layer of Creamy Béchamel, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Repeat the layers (pasta, ragù, béchamel, cheese) until all ingredients are used, ending with a final layer of béchamel.

Top generously with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano to create a golden crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the top is bubbling and deep golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing to ensure the layers stay intact.