Bobby Flay’s Lasagna

Preparation

1. Step 1

   To make the Bolognese, preheat the oven to 350°F.

   Step 2

   Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork and beef shanks on both sides with salt and pepper, place in the pan, and cook until golden brown all over, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the shanks to a plate.

   Step 3

   Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

   Step 4

   Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine, scrape the bottom of the pan, and boil until completely reduced. Add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and the thyme, rosemary, and parsley sprigs, and bring to a simmer. Return the shanks and one-third of the pancetta to the pan, cover, and transfer it to the oven. Braise until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.

   Step 5

   Meanwhile, make the ricotta mixture: Stir together the ricotta, eggs, cheese, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

   Step 6

   Return to the Bolognese: Remove the shanks to a cutting board, and when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid into a second bowl; discard the solids. Pour 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a large deep sauté pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Add the shredded meat and the remaining cooked pancetta to the pan, along with 1 cup of the marinara sauce, the chopped parsley, and the chopped basil. Stir to combine. Set the Bolognese aside.

   Step 7

   To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and continue whisking until the sauce has thickened and lost its raw flavor, 5 to 7 minutes. Season the sauce with the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, and whisk in the cheeses. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a little additional warm milk. Set the béchamel aside.

   Step 8

   Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking dish.

   Step 9

   Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until not quite al dente, 2 to 3 minutes for fresh and 5 for dry. Drain well.

   Step 10

   Ladle a thin layer of béchamel evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place a layer of pasta, cut to fit the inside of the pan, on top, and spread all the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta. Ladle an even layer of béchamel over the ricotta, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the Parmesan, and add some whole basil leaves. Top with another layer of pasta, and spread all the Bolognese evenly over the top. Ladle an even layer of béchamel over the Bolognese, again sprinkling with a few tablespoons of the Parmesan and some basil leaves. Place the final layer of pasta dough over the Bolognese, and ladle the remaining béchamel over the top to completely cover the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

   Step 11

   Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F, remove the foil, and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

   Step 12

   Cut into slices and top each serving with some marinara sauce, more grated cheese, and chopped parsley and basil.

2. Marinara Sauce

   Step 13

   Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add both tomatoes, bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil.