Traditional Lasagna Bolognese (Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese)

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If you’ve read my post about authentic Ragù Bolognese and tried the recipe, you’re ready to prepare an iconic Bolognese preparation – Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. It’s one of my favorite dishes of all time. Making this lasagna requires only a few components – spinach pasta, Ragù Bolognese, béchamel sauce, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. When prepared with care, these elements come together to create something truly extraordinary. Besides Tagliatelle al Ragù and Tortellini in Brodo, it’s one of the most important “primi” (pasta courses) in Bolognese cuisine. This traditional Lasagna Bolognese is everything a good Italian-style lasagna should be – it’s luscious, delicate, balanced, and satisfying. I can assure you that if you’ve only had lasagna outside of Italy, it’s likely that you’ve never had anything like this. Read on for the recipe and to get all of my tips to create this glorious traditional Lasagna Bolognese.

Is it lasagna or lasagne?

First of all, I need to explain what lasagna is versus lasagne. It’s probably pretty confusing to see the two words if you don’t speak Italian. The word lasagna in America refers to a whole tray of lasagna, the pasta shape, or a serving of completed lasagna. In English, we add an “s” at the end to make the word plural. Although I haven’t seen it used in a recipe title, one might say, “This is one of the best lasagnas I’ve ever had!”.

However, in Italian, lasagna is the singular form of the word. To my mind, it means a single sheet of pasta. When you are speaking of a whole tray of lasagna layers, the word lasagna (lah-zan-yah) then becomes lasagne (lah-zan-yay) in the plural. The same thing happens with any pasta shape – one strand of spaghetti is spaghetto in the singular and a bowl of noodles becomes spaghetti! One tortellino, two tortellini, etc., Get it? Hence, usually, you’re going to see the word lasagne in the title for many lasagna recipes written in Italian. For example, artichoke lasagna is Lasagne ai Carciofi. Why? Because there is more than one sheet of pasta. It’s not always this simple though… I’ve come across dishes titled Lasagna al Forno (baked lasagna) with the singular word so yeah… it’s confusing. Even so, I hope that clears things up a tad.

Menus in Bologna

So, what might be called Lasagna Bolognese or Lasagna alla Bolognese in English would be called Lasagne alla Bolognese or Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. (The word “verdi” is the plural form of “verde,” which means “green” and describes the spinach pasta traditionally used in the dish.) You can call the dish by either of those names, although I lean towards the second. Now if you visit Bologna, you’ll know what to order! Sometimes on menus, it’s simply called Lasagne Verdi. FYI.

My first Lasagna Bolognese or Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese…

I will never forget the first time I heard of this dish and tasted it. This was many years ago when the Food Network was young. Tyler Florence made a winter squash lasagna. During the episode, he discussed Bologna-style lasagna with a friend and fellow chef that made Lasagne alla Bolognese at his restaurant in Manhattan. The chef was from Bologna and made rigorously traditional Lasagna Bolognese. I lived in NYC at the time and made it a priority to go there. To say that it was a revelation is an understatement!

Unlike so many soggy, gloppy, clumsy, overcooked, and generally poorly-made lasagnas out there, this was refined, subtle, handmade, high-quality, and elegant yet robust. It was basically the best thing ever! I was in love and started making the dish at home. Eventually, when I became a private chef in Nashville, I would make this for clients at dinner parties. It gave me such joy to look at the guests’ faces as they took their first bite. They had the same glassy-eyed and ecstatic look as I did when I tried it the first time. You could see that this wasn’t even in the same universe as what they were accustomed to.

Lasagne Verdi versus Italian-American lasagna

As I mentioned above, this is very different from what you may have eaten. The Southern Italian lasagnas that have tomato or meat sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, and maybe other elements like little meatballs, soppressata, or sausage are much more common in the US. When made properly, that style of lasagna is drool-worthy and a little bit of heaven in its own right. Unfortunately, half of the time, making lasagna is an occasion for people to put 10 pounds of bad-quality cheese into a tray with store-bought tomato sauce and overcooked pasta. It’s not pretty. (Maybe in the future, I’ll write up a recipe for that style of lasagna! My nonna used to prepare it with tiny meatballs for Christmas…mmm!)

The thing you need to keep in mind with any style of lasagne made in the Italian way is to use a light hand. There needs to be restraint. The Italian term quanto basta comes to mind. It means roughly “as much as is needed.” So, you are basically using what you need – no more and no less. This isn’t about gluttony or decadence or an excuse to use an excess of any one ingredient. Keep things balanced and save that hedonistic American culinary aesthetic for your next burger! (Add some extra bacon for me, please. I can’t get it in Bologna!)

Things to keep in mind for your traditional Lasagna Bolognese

Ragù Bolognese

Considering the fact that I’ve already written two blog posts about Ragù Bolognese, I’m not going to say much on the subject here. Please read both of my articles and stay true to the recipe. Don’t add a little bit of this or that. No herbs, no Italian-American-style sausage (which contains fennel and often chili), or extra ingredients. You will change the flavor profile of the sauce too much and it will no longer be a proper Ragù Bolognese. Please, no improvising.

Keep in mind that the sauce shouldn’t be too loose. Reduce it enough so that it’s not soupy or it could keep your lasagna from holding its shape. Once your lasagna comes out of the oven and rests, it should not slide all over the place and lose its form.

Béchamel sauce

The other main component is a lovely béchamel sauce. I use the standard Italian béchamel recipe, which I love. It’s in the metric system but all you need to prepare it is a scale, which I recommend that you have anyway, and a measuring cup. Most American measuring cups display both quarts and liters so you won’t have a problem.

When making a béchamel, you may use hot or cold milk, it’s up to you. I’ve done both and don’t find any difference when it comes to flavor. It speeds things up a bit to heat the milk, but then there is an extra pot to wash, so I usually don’t bother because I’m lazy… Once you get your béchamel to a boil, turn off the heat and season with sea salt or kosher salt and freshly grated nutmeg. It’s important that you use fresh nutmeg, not pre-ground. It adds a lovely flavor to the dish and is one of the only spices I see used frequently in Bolognese cuisine. You may add black or white pepper if you wish.

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

They don’t call this the King of Cheeses for nothing! Therefore, there is NO substitute. Throw out that canister or any other imposter cheese that you may have. It has to be Italian DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, preferably aged and freshly grated. When you purchase it, it needs to have the name stamped on the rind. If it’s not there, it might not be Parmigiano-Reggiano. Grating it yourself is the only guarantee that you are getting the real stuff. It will also ensure that it’s not dried out.

For this recipe, I prefer to use aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Look for something at least 30 months old which will add a wonderful depth of flavor. It will also make your lasagna stand out from many restaurants that use younger cheese in larger quantities to make up for the lack of complexity. If your choices are limited in your area, do what you can. You may want to add a touch more cheese if you are using a younger one but be careful not to overdo it. It can overpower the dish.

Spinach pasta

The last component is the spinach pasta. It’s a classic egg dough with just 00 flour and egg with the addition of cooked spinach. (No oil or salt.) I was taught to cook the spinach, squeeze it dry, and hand chop it with a knife or mezzaluna. The resulting pasta is speckled in appearance. I like it that way and it comes out differently every time I make it depending on how finely I chop. It’s kind of fun. You may also put the spinach through the fine holes of a food mill for the same effect. That said, many modern cooks combine the prepped spinach with the eggs in a food processor or blender and combine them to completely puree the spinach. If that is your preference, that is fine. The result is a more consistent and vivid green.

Spinach cooking tips

To cook the spinach, I like to wilt it in a covered stockpot. Before cooking, make sure it’s clean and remove any yellow leaves and tough stems. If using pre-washed spinach, I add 2-3 tablespoons of water. Or, if you wash the spinach yourself, simply leave the water clinging to the leaves. This method takes less time, water, and energy than boiling. It takes only a few minutes to wilt down. To set the color and stop the cooking, run it under cold water in a colander or shock it in an ice bath. Squeeze it dry in your hands or in a cotton kitchen towel.

With regards to frozen spinach, the color is a bit dingy and the spinach can be tough. I don’t recommend it.

Working by weight

I tend to work by weight rather than by volume in my cooking. It’s clearer for me, more accurate, and requires fewer dishes. If you want to know how much spinach to buy, the raw spinach will reduce to 1/3 of its original weight when cooked. To give an example, if you start with 500 grams (1.1 pounds) of raw spinach you will end up with about 166 grams (just under 6 oz) or so of cooked spinach. Keep in mind that the weight will vary depending on how well you squeeze out the excess water.

Making traditional Lasagna Bolognese my own

I’ve been reading about this dish and making it for over 20 years now. Time does fly! Now that I have also been eating traditional Lasagna Bolognese in Bologna for 9 years as well, I think it’s safe to say that I have some ideas and opinions on how it should be made! After all of this time, I know what I like and don’t.

After publishing my recipe for ragù, it was time to get to work on my own recipe for Lasagna Verdi. What did I want to achieve? Well, I wanted to stay true to tradition while catering to my preferences within the standard. Obviously, a traditional Lasagna Bolognese varies from cook to cook. The things that can vary are the number of layers (a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7 layers is the norm), the thickness of the pasta, the quantity of each sauce, the sequence of assembly, how to top it, cooking temperature, and on and on… it all depends on the cook.

My ultimate Lasagne alla Bolognese

The recipe below is my ultimate version. For me, the ideal has:

• Homemade spinach pasta made entirely by hand and rolled out with a rolling pin. (Don’t worry, I leave instructions for pasta machines too. I provide a technique that will give you the best results possible.) I also prefer that the pasta look natural and not neon green. Therefore I add an understated quantity of spinach.
• Seven layers of thin pasta.
• A good balance of ragù to béchamel to cheese. I like each layer to have a decent amount of sauce but not an exaggerated quantity. I keep each sauce separate and don’t necessarily layer it all evenly. You can have a thicker bit of ragù here and a little glob of béchamel there! The contrast of textures and flavors is wonderful in the mouth. Unlike some, I prefer to keep the sauces separate versus mixing them together entirely.
• I love the crunchy golden bits on top when it comes out of the oven. Therefore I bake mine at 200 C/400 F for 20-25 minutes. It comes out golden and beautiful. Some cooks prefer to bake at 180 C/350 F for 30-45 minutes. I find that this results in mushy pasta with no crunchy bits.

Making things your own

Even though I clearly have my dream lasagna, I realized in testing that I was having a tough time pinning down an exact amount of each component because, as I mentioned, some like a restrained amount of sauce, others like more; some want 5 layers of pasta, others 6, etc. In addition, since I roll out my pasta by hand, I can’t ensure from one batch of dough to the next that it will be exactly the same thickness! When I had a recipe that used less flour, spinach, and egg, I usually got 7 layers out of it, but if I rolled it out thicker than I meant to, I ended up with only 6 layers with the same amount of dough! Hence, I have a recipe that will yield enough dough for 7 layers, no matter how thick or thinly it’s rolled out.

Also, I like to mix things up sometimes. How much ragù I put on top, for example, changes depending on my mood. The same goes for the béchamel and the quantity of spinach that I put in the dough. Below I provide a recipe that will give all of us some flexibility. (Even while staying a traditional Lasagna Bolognese!)

Keeping things flexible…

Therefore, the quantities for each element (the ragù, béchamel, pasta, and cheese) are given as ranges. For a 23×33 cm (9×13-inch) dish, you will need 100-150 grams (3.5-5/25 oz) of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I suggest that you have a liter (1 quart/4 cups) of each sauce. My ideal tray of lasagna in testing had about 850-900 ml (generous 3 1/2 cups) of each sauce with 7 layers of pasta and 100 grams (3.5 oz) of Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you prefer a lasagna less generously filled, I think 750-850 ml (3-3 1/2 cups) of each sauce is a good range. A full liter of each sauce would be a bit much for my taste but is in line with the more abundant lasagnas in Bologna.

Some restaurants put a little fresh ragù on top of their lasagna upon serving, but for me, that takes away from the crispy bits… It’s likely that you will have extra sauces but you will not run out which would be very sad indeed.

Keeping track…

As you continue to make the dish, you will find the correct quantities of each ingredient depending on your taste and how many layers of pasta you are making. If you take notes of your cooking processes, keep track of what you do. Also, pay attention visually to how much of each item you are putting on with each layer. You’ll become very comfortable knowing by eye how much of each sauce and how much cheese to put on each layer of pasta. For those really uncomfortable without fixed measurements, you should need somewhere between 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup of each sauce per layer.

What to do with leftover components

If you do have any item left over, you can always serve leftover ragù on tagliatelle or even dried pasta like penne. For the leftover béchamel, add some grated cheddar and some parboiled elbow macaroni and you’ve got mac and cheese.

The pasta recipe that I am sharing might make more pasta sheets than you need. It all depends on the thickness and quantity of layers. With leftover pasta, you can make spinach tagliatelle or something like cannelloni filled with whatever you like!

Testing adventures

On one of the days I tested my recipe, I decided to pit my lasagna against some local Lasagne alla Bolognese from some of the top pasta shops in town. The picture below shows you just how different they are! Look at how differently they all top their lasagna! It’s all fascinating. I am very happy to say that my lasagna actually won with my taste testers!

The layers varied from 5 to 7 layers as stated above. More had 5 than 6 or 7. I think in a shop, it’s more economical to do fewer layers, so, at home, you can go all out and do 7 when you make it!

Make ahead tips

Although traditional Lasagna Bolognese takes time, you can prep many things ahead of time:

• The ragù can be prepared a few days before or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator.
• The béchamel can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
• Cook spinach in bulk, squeeze-dry it, chop it, and store it pre-portioned in the freezer for future batches of lasagna.
• The spinach dough can be made 1 day in advance and brought to room temperature before rolling out.
• You may assemble the entire dish and keep it refrigerated for up to 1-2 days before baking. Or, you can freeze assembled, unbaked lasagna. To bake, defrost in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, then bake. You can freeze a whole tray or make individual portions in disposable aluminum trays. It’s a great idea for work or school lunches.

Last thoughts

For lasagna lovers, please take a look at my Eggplant Lasagna and my Lasagna with Mushrooms, Ham, & Béchamel. They are both super delicious! Other baked pasta treats that you might enjoy are my Pasta Roses and Oven Baked Pasta with Little Meatballs.

Lastly, please take a look at this video that I did with Vincenzo’s Plate where we sample different versions of traditional Lasagne alla Bolognese here in Bologna.

Enjoy the recipe and please write below if you have any questions or if you make this scrumptious traditional Lasagna Bolognese!

Traditional Lasagna Bolognese (Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese)

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Serves: 8

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

• For the ragù:
• 1 liter Ragù Bolognese (See my blog post & recipe)
• For the pasta:
• 400 grams 00 flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour), plus more as needed for rolling and dusting
• 3 large eggs (medium in Italy)
• 60-100 grams (2 oz-3.5 oz) spinach, cooked, squeezed-dry, and very finely minced
• For the béchamel:
• 100 grams (3.5 oz) butter
• 100 grams (3.5 oz) "00" or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 liter (1 quart) milk
• freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• salt, to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper, (optional), to taste
• 100-150 grams (3.5-5.25 oz) aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Instructions

1. Make a full recipe of Ragù Bolognese. It can be prepared 2-3 days in advance. Set aside 1 liter of the ragù for this recipe. Store the rest for serving on tagliatelle, or as desired. It freezes for up to 3 months.
2. Prepare the pasta: Place the flour on a clean work surface and form a well in the center by creating a circular wall of flour with ample space in the center to hold the eggs and spinach. Crack the eggs into the well and add the spinach. Start beating them together with a fork, adding the flour bit by bit in a circular motion from the surrounding wall of flour to create a smooth dough that is soft, supple, yet firm and not sticky. Once you’ve incorporated the flour and eggs, gently and firmly knead the dough until it’s very smooth, homogenous, pliable, and doesn’t stick to your hands or work surface. While you knead, adjust the flour as necessary to achieve the right consistency. With spinach pasta, you may need to add more flour than with plain egg pasta. It should take about 10 minutes. 
3. Form the dough into a ball, flatten it a bit, and cover tightly in plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to an hour to let the dough rest. You should have about 600 grams (21 oz) of dough. It can be made 1 day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before rolling out (this should take about 1 hour).
4. While the dough rests, make the béchamel sauce. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and let it melt. Once it's melted, add the flour and stir with a whisk to combine and prevent lumps. Whisk the butter and flour together for a few minutes to cook out the raw taste of the flour. Next, slowly add the milk, little by little, whisking all the while to avoid lumps. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to avoid scorching. Once it's thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon, turn off the heat and season well with salt, pepper (if using), and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Set aside.
5. Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and set aside.
6. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F. 
7. Roll out your dough. If you know how to do it by hand with a rolling pin, roll it out to the desired thickness keeping in mind that pasta expands while cooking. I like it thin (approximately 1 mm). Cut the round of dough into either 12x31 cm (4 1/2x11 1/2-inch) pieces or large pieces 1 cm less than the base of your pan to allow for when the pasta expands. Keep all irregular pasta pieces to puzzle the lower layers together and set aside the prettiest pasta sheets for the top.
8. If using a pasta machine, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, covering those not in use with plastic wrap or a bowl to seal out the air which would form a crust. Flatten each piece, sprinkle lightly with flour, and roll into an even oval with a rolling pin to the thickness of the #1 setting and the width of the cylinders. Next, starting widthwise, run the piece once through each setting in order without skipping a number, until you achieve the thickness desired, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Handle with care and roll the sheet out to number 5 if you want a thicker pasta, or to number 6 or 7 on a Marcato Atlas if you want it thin. (I would not go thinner than that.) Proceed with the other pieces. You may cut each strip into smaller pieces now, approximately 12x31 cm (4 1/2x11 1/2-inches), or blanch the strips whole and cut them to fit your pan as you assemble.
9. Once all of the pasta is rolled out, set a large bowl of salted ice water next to the stove and get some tongs and a skimmer ready to help you quickly blanch the pasta. Line a table, countertop, or sheet tray with clean cotton kitchen towels. (Don't use fluffy towels!)
10. Blanch each sheet of pasta until it floats to the surface of the water. You may blanch a couple of sheets at a time. This should take about 15 seconds. (If you roll the pasta out thicker than I have indicated, blanch for up to 30 seconds.) To prevent sticking, ease each sheet into the water slowly. Once the pasta is ready, gently remove it from the boiling water and shock it in the bowl of salted ice water. Once the pasta is cool to the touch (this takes moments), remove the sheet, wring it out very gently, and place it on the kitchen towels. Pat dry. Proceed until you have blanched and lightly dried all of the pasta sheets. Keep each sheet separate so that they do not stick. If you do not have a lot of space, have several towels ready and layer the pasta sheets between layers of kitchen towels.
11. Once all of your ingredients are ready, place a layer of béchamel sauce in the bottom of a 23x33 cm (9x13-inch) baking dish. If desired add a tiny bit of ragù as well. This very light layer keeps the pasta from sticking. Don't put too much.
12. Next create 5-7 layers of lasagna in the following order: pasta, ragù, bechamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Things to keep in mind: as you add each layer of pasta, very slightly overlap the pieces to create a full layer cutting pieces to fit as necessary. Add a light layer of ragù. You want enough to cover the sheet of pasta without drowning the pasta in the sauce. For the béchamel, I like to add dollops of it over the sheet and spread unevenly over the ragù, trying not to combine the two. Lastly, sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano, about 1-2 tablespoons per layer, placing extra on the last layer. Once you reach the last layer of pasta, add a generous layer of béchamel and dollop ragù to taste. Smear them together irregularly. Lastly, add a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Alternatively, you can prepare the last layer as you did the others with ragù, béchamel, and cheese, using the béchamel a little bit more generously.
13. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 20-25 minutes. If it's not yet golden and crispy on top after 20 minutes, turn on your convection oven for the last 5. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 generous portions.