Lasagna Bolognese with Béchamel

1. Render pancetta over medium-low heat for 5 min. Add olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery; cook for 12 min–15 min until soft but not browned.
2. Add beef and pork. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until its moisture evaporates and the meat begins to brown.
3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 min. Add wine and reduce until nearly dry.
4. Add milk and simmer until absorbed. Add passata, stock, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Simmer uncovered over very low heat for 2 h–3 h, stirring periodically, until rich and spoonable. Cool before assembly.

6. Mix flour and salt. Add egg and knead for 8 min–10 min until smooth.
7. Wrap and rest for 30 min at room temperature.
8. Roll progressively to approximately 1 mm thick. Cut sheets to fit the baking dish.
9. Blanch sheets in salted boiling water for 30 s, chill in cold water, and dry on clean cloths.

10. Warm milk to 70 C–80 C.
11. Melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook for 2 min without colouring.
12. Whisk in warm milk gradually. Simmer for 8 min–10 min until smooth and lightly thickened.
13. Season with salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.

14. Measure 1500 g ragù, 600 g prepared pasta sheets and 1000 g béchamel; retain any remainder from each preparation.
15. Heat oven to 180 C. Butter a 330 mm x 230 mm baking dish.
16. Spread a thin layer of béchamel in the dish. Add pasta, ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano; repeat for 5-6 pasta layers.
17. Finish with béchamel and Parmigiano. Dot with butter.
18. Bake for 40 min–45 min until bubbling and deeply browned at the edges.
19. Rest for 20 min–30 min before cutting.

Ragù and béchamel should both be loose enough to hydrate the fresh pasta without flooding the finished lasagna.

Recorded alternatives (no separate variation-specific testing observations were supplied):

• Make ahead: Assemble, refrigerate for up to 24 h, then add approximately 10 min to the covered portion of baking.
• Drier ragù: Add 100 g–150 g extra stock during assembly rather than loosening the entire batch.