Lasagna Bolognese
Our version of Lasagna Bolognese will more closely resemble the traditional version than the Americanized one. The biggest difference between the two is that for at traditional Lasagna Bolognese there is no ricotta cheese in the recipe. Instead a Besciametta is favored to provide the creaminess. This is a white sauce made with roux thickened milk. It closely resembles a French Bechamel sauce. The thickness of the Besciametta is a little thinner due to the fact that it will be baked and reduced down a bit.
Our version of Lasagna Bolognese will more closely resemble the traditional version than the Americanized one. The biggest difference between the two is that for at traditional Lasagna Bolognese there is no ricotta cheese in the recipe. Instead a Besciametta is favored to provide the creaminess. This is a white sauce made with roux thickened milk. It closely resembles a French Bechamel sauce. The thickness of the Besciametta is a little thinner due to the fact that it will be baked and reduced down a bit.
Another difference is that in a traditional Lasagna Bolognese there typically isn't mozzarella cheese. However, we will be using it because... well.... it is just so good we couldn't leave it off. A mix of styles perhaps but delicious.
Another difference is that in a traditional Lasagna Bolognese there typically isn't mozzarella cheese. However, we will be using it because... well.... it is just so good we couldn't leave it off. A mix of styles perhaps but delicious.
Chef Beplat
Bolognese sauce takes many forms. I have had versions made with wild boar out in Santa Cruz, California, other more typical ground beef only versions, and of course cheese only. Along the way, while researching recipes, I have found a few “truths” that about this particular classic.
Bolognese sauce takes many forms. I have had versions made with wild boar out in Santa Cruz, California, other more typical ground beef only versions, and of course cheese only. Along the way, while researching recipes, I have found a few “truths” that about this particular classic.
- A Bolognese should always include mirepoix. This is the classic combination of onions, carrots, and celery. It should not contain garlic (this is more of a southern addition)
- Wine is typically used (though omitted in our version) and it is typically a white (a shocker!)
- The sauce includes only a little bit of tomato paste and not the more generous amounts of tomato product that you might typically find in Italian American restaurants. (We have bridged the gap a bit…. Included more than traditionally used, but perhaps less than an “American meat sauce”.
- There is a bit of milk added at the end of the cooking process and this is to tame the acidity of the tomatoes. Sometimes recipes will instruct you to omit the milk if you plan on baking the sauce with the Besciametta in a lasagna, however, like any good chef would, we season every element of the dish along the way appropriately and thus use the milk in the sauce.
Chef Beplat
