Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 8-10 servings

- 4 cups (32 fl oz/1 I) Bolognese sauce
- 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) white sauce
- 18 oz (560 g) fresh spinach pasta dough
- 11/2 cups (6 oz/185 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

This classic lasagne is built from a hearty, slow-cooked meat sauce; a creamy, thick white sauce; tender fresh pasta; and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The elements are layered in the pan, but their flavors come together as the lasagne bakes. This dish is surprisingly delicate when made with fresh spinach pasta.

Make the Bolognese sauce and the white sauce and set aside.

Make the pasta dough, then divide and roll out each piece into a sheet 1/16 inch (2 mm). Lightly flour a rimmed baking sheet. Lay the pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface and, using a knife or pastry wheel, cut into sections about 12 inches (30 cm) long (they will lengthen slightly as they cook). Layer the sections flat on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them so they don't touch and separating each layer with a lightly floured kitchen towel.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 10-by-13-by-2-inch (25-by-33-by-5-cm) baking dish. Set aside 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/ 125 ml) of the white sauce and 1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) of the cheese. Make a layer of pasta in the pan, overlapping the pieces slightly. Spread with a thin layer of white sauce and top with a layer of Bolognese sauce. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layering, creating as many layers as you can, and ending with a pasta layer. Spread the top layer with the reserved white sauce and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. The dish can be assembled up to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.

Bake the lasagne for 40 minutes, then check it. If the top is browning too rapidly, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. Continue to bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and a knife inserted in the center comes out warm to the touch, about 15 minutes longer. If the dish has been refrigerated, you may need to add up to 30 minutes to the cooking time. Remove the dish from the oven, piace on a wire rack, and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Buon appetito !