Mamma Carmela’s Lasagna Recipe

Heat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil. When shimmering, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, careful not to brown.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and ground veal. Break meat up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned with no pink remaining, about 8–10 minutes. Season with 1 tsp of the salt and 1/2 tsp of the black pepper while cooking.

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until the wine has mostly evaporated, about 3–4 minutes.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock. Add bay leaves, dried oregano, remaining 1 tsp salt, remaining 1/2 tsp pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and flavors meld, 45–60 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of stock or water.

Stir in the fresh basil chiffonade in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves before assembling.

Warm the milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling; keep warm over the lowest heat.

In a separate medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once foaming, add the flour and whisk continuously to form a roux. Cook the roux 2–3 minutes without allowing it to brown to remove the raw flour taste.

Gradually add the warm milk to the roux in a steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes.

Season the béchamel with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch (or equivalent) baking dish with 1 tsp olive oil.

If using regular lasagna noodles, cook according to package directions until al dente, drain, and lay flat on a lightly oiled tray so they don't stick. If using no-boil noodles, skip this step.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, chopped parsley, 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan (reserve remaining for topping), chopped basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer (about 1 cup) of meat sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish to prevent sticking.

Arrange a single layer of 3–4 lasagna noodles to cover the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, then drizzle or spoon about 3/4 cup of béchamel over the ricotta. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella and a light dusting (about 2 tbsp) of grated Parmesan. Spoon about 1 to 1 1/4 cups of meat sauce over the cheeses and spread evenly.

Repeat layering two more times (noodles, ricotta mixture, béchamel, mozzarella, Parmesan, meat sauce). For the final top layer, place noodles, cover with the remaining béchamel, the remaining mozzarella, and the remaining Parmesan to create a nicely sauced top.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil (spritz or tent foil so it doesn't stick to cheese). Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and continue baking until top is golden and bubbly, about 15–20 minutes more. If you want a more browned top, finish under the broiler 1–2 minutes—watch closely to prevent burning.

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest uncovered for 15–20 minutes to set (this makes slicing cleaner). Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves and a light sprinkle of grated Parmesan before serving.