Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound wavy lasagna noodles, broken into irregular pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
- 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
- A sprinkle of ground cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine or an additional 1 cup beef stock
- 2 cups beef stock
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 rounded tablespoons flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook to al dente.
- In a Dutch oven, heat the EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown well. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, rosemary, cloves and lots of salt and pepper and cook until tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the wine or vegetable stock for 1 minute. Stir in the beef stock and simmer for a few minutes longer.
- Pre-heat the broiler and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk, and let thicken enough to coat a spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Toss the pasta with the meat sauce and arrange in a casserole. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top in an even layer. Top with a layer of Parmigiano Reggiano and broil in the oven to brown the top.
Cooking with alcohol enhances the flavors of certain dishes. Some of the alcohol burns off in the process of cooking. If you are concerned about using alcohol when you cook, you may use the appropriate substitute listed in the ingredients.