For the green pasta
🥬 250 g fresh spinach
🥚 4 medium eggs
🌾 400 g “00” flour
For the ragù
🥩 600 g ground beef
🐖 400 g ground pork
🥓 100 g pancetta
🥕 1 carrot
🧅 1 onion
🌿 1 celery stalk
🍷 150 ml dry white wine
🍅 700 ml tomato passata
🥛 200 ml whole milk
🧂 Salt and pepper to taste
For the béchamel
🧈 100 g butter
🌾 100 g flour
🥛 1 liter milk
🌰 Nutmeg to taste
🧂 Salt to taste
For finishing
🧀 200 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
🧈 Butter flakes for gratinating
Supreme Lasagna alla Bolognese is not just a dish it is a true journey into the heart of Emilia-Romagna, a warm embrace made of spinach-infused green egg pasta, slow-simmered meat ragù, and velvety béchamel that wraps around every layer like a caress. Preparing it requires time, dedication, multiple kitchen tools, and the patience to follow ancient rituals still preserved in the kitchens of Bolognese grandmothers.
This “supreme” version is designed for those who want a complete and complex experience, capable of transforming an entire day in the kitchen into a celebration of flavor. Every step from selecting the right cuts of meat for the ragù to rolling out the green pasta sheets as thin as silk is essential to achieving a result worthy of true Emilian tradition.
This is not a quick recipe, nor an easy one. It is a ritual recipe, filled with aromas that flood the home, pots gently bubbling on the stove, and hands kneading the dough with strength and love. And it is precisely this slowness, this complexity, that gives lasagna alla bolognese its unmistakable character, transforming a meal into a memory worth treasuring.
To prepare this dish, you’ll need several essential kitchen tools:
Large pot – to boil pasta and blanch spinach.
Wide pan or casserole – for soffritto and slow ragù cooking.
Sharp knife or mezzaluna – for finely chopping vegetables and pancetta.
Whisk – to avoid lumps in béchamel.
Rolling pin or pasta machine – to roll out thin, even pasta sheets.
Colander & clean cloth – to drain and squeeze spinach.
Spatula & ladle – to layer ingredients neatly.
Rectangular baking dish (30×20 cm) – for final assembly.
1. Prepare the spinach and dough
Wash the spinach thoroughly and blanch it for just a few minutes in salted boiling water. Drain well, then squeeze vigorously with a clean towel to remove excess liquid. Chop very finely. On a floured wooden board, make a well with the flour, add the eggs in the center, and gradually incorporate the spinach. Knead firmly for at least 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the ragù
Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta. In a casserole, melt a knob of butter and let the mixture gently sauté until fragrant. Add the ground meats and brown well, breaking them apart with a wooden spoon. Once browned, pour in the white wine and let it evaporate. Add the tomato passata and a ladle of broth, then let simmer on very low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Toward the end, add the milk to soften the acidity of the tomato. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Make the béchamel
In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring vigorously to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens, then season with salt and nutmeg. It should be smooth and creamy.
4. Roll and blanch the pasta
Take the rested dough and divide it into portions. Using a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out thin sheets about 1–2 mm thick. Cut into regular rectangles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook a few sheets at a time for 1 minute, and drain carefully. Lay on a clean cloth without overlapping.
5. Assemble the lasagna
Butter the baking dish. Place down a layer of pasta, spread ragù evenly, spoon béchamel, and sprinkle Parmigiano. Repeat layering pasta, ragù, béchamel, and cheese until ingredients are used. Finish with a generous layer of béchamel, Parmigiano, and a few flakes of butter.
6. Bake and rest
Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C (340 °F) for about 25 minutes, until the surface is golden and bubbling. Let rest at least 10 minutes before cutting—this allows the flavors to settle and the layers to firm up.
Wine pairing: try with a Lambrusco di Sorbara or a robust Sangiovese di Romagna.
Side dish: sautéed seasonal greens or a simple crisp salad.
Dessert: finish with zuppa inglese, a traditional Emilian dessert.
Add mozzarella between layers for extra creaminess (though not traditional).
For a perfect golden crust, dot the top with butter flakes before baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: keeps for up to 3 days, well covered.
Freezer: portion and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven covered with foil to avoid drying out.
The word “lasagna” has ancient roots: the Greeks used laganon to describe strips of dough baked in the oven, while the Romans spoke of laganum. By 1282, in the Memoriali Bolognesi, we already find the first written mention of lasagna. In the Middle Ages, cooks began alternating layers of pasta and cheese, creating the foundation of the dish we know today.
With the Liber de Coquina of the 14th century, one of the earliest cookbooks in history, we see a version resembling today’s lasagna. Later, in 1891, Pellegrino Artusi, in his famous La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene, codified a rich ragù (though without tomato).
The real distinguishing feature of Bolognese lasagna came in the 19th century: the introduction of green pasta sheets with spinach, designed to add both color and tenderness. In 2003, the Accademia Italiana della Cucina officially registered the recipe for Lasagna Verde alla Bolognese with the Chamber of Commerce of Bologna, sealing its identity once and for all.
Image 1 Lasagna generated with AI by Freepik
Image 2 Lasagna Autore: jeffreyw, caricata su Flickr e trasferita su Wikimedia Commons da Mindmatrix il 24 marzo 2012. Licenza: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).
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