Anna's Lasagna

• ½ lb ground beef, ground
• ½ lb ground veal, ground
• onion, diced
• 2 garlic, cloves, minced
• fresh oregano, leaves stripped from stems and chopped
• 2 cans San Marzano tomatoes
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 stick butter, or 8 tablespoons
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• l whole milk
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• nutmeg, freshly grated, about 1/4 of a whole nutmeg
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• dried lasagna noodles
• olive oil, for drizzling and browning

Preparation

1. Step 1

   1:43
   Heat olive oil in an enameled cast iron pan. Add diced onion and minced garlic and cook until softened. Add the ground beef and ground veal, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and brown the meat. Stir in chopped fresh oregano leaves.
2. Step 2

   3:34
   Add two cans of San Marzano tomatoes (with their liquid), breaking them up with a spoon. Season with additional kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar (or a little agave syrup). Cover partially with a lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3. Step 3

   7:28
   While the meat sauce simmers, melt 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter in a separate pan. Whisk in 1/3 cup flour and cook the roux gently while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Gradually add about 1.5 liters (almost 1/2 gallon) whole milk while whisking constantly. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/4 of a whole nutmeg). Bring to a boil, whisking continuously to prevent burning or lumps, and cook until thickened to a consistency like cream of potato soup (it will thicken further as it cools). Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
4. Step 4

   14:09
   Using an immersion blender directly in the pot (carefully, while sauce is still hot), pulse the meat sauce until smooth and homogenized but still with some texture; avoid making it completely pasty. Stir to check consistency.
5. Step 5

   16:40
   Grate a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Prepare a mise en place with the meat sauce, béchamel, grated cheese, and dried lasagna noodles for efficient assembly.
6. Step 6

   19:09
   Drizzle olive oil in the base of a large baking pan (such as a hotel pan). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom. Layer dried lasagna noodles over the sauce (breaking sheets as needed to fit; alternate directions between layers). Top with more meat sauce, then a layer of béchamel, then grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat layering (noodles alternating directions, meat sauce, béchamel, cheese), ending with a final layer of béchamel completely covering the top and a generous topping of grated cheese. The assembled lasagna should appear quite saucy and liquidy, as the dry noodles will absorb the liquid.
7. Step 7

   25:03
   Cover the assembled lasagna first with parchment paper, then tightly with aluminum foil to seal in moisture. Let rest on the stovetop for 2.5 hours to allow the hot sauces to begin cooking and softening the noodles.
8. Step 8

   25:52
   Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the covered lasagna for 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil and parchment, then broil for 5-10 minutes until the top is bubbly and browned. Allow to rest briefly before slicing. The finished lasagna should be soft, moist, delicate, and cake-like, holding together cleanly when cut.