Chef Gabriele Franco of La Botte D’Oro restaurant in Sydney appeared on Sunrise to mark World Lasagna Day, showcasing a lasagna made with 2-metre-long pasta sheets. The recipe serves 12 portions.
Ingredients for Ragù
- 1.6 kg premium beef mince
- 400 g pork mince
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 400 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 200 ml dry red wine
- 2.5 L tomato passata
- 200 g tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Fresh basil
Béchamel Sauce
- 100 g butter
- 100 g plain flour
- 1 L full cream milk
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and black cracked pepper
Method for Ragù
Heat the olive oil and gently cook the onion, carrot and celery until softened. Stir in the garlic, followed by the beef mince, breaking it up as it browns. Deglaze with the red wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the tomato paste, passata, bay leaves and basil. Season to taste and simmer gently for approximately 6–7 hours until rich and thick.
Béchamel Method
Melt the butter and stir in the flour to create a roux. Gradually whisk in the warm milk until smooth. Simmer until thickened. Season with salt, nutmeg and pepper.
Assembly and Baking
Layer the lasagna by alternating fresh pasta sheets, ragù, béchamel and mozzarella. Repeat until the dish is full, finishing with béchamel, mozzarella and a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake at 180°C for approximately 40–45 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Allow the lasagna to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
