Lasagne Verdi with Homemade Spinach Pasta

Method

1. Blanch the spinach in boiling water over high heat for 1 min, cool it in cold water and squeeze it in your fists until no more water comes out; it must be almost dry. Chop it extremely finely. Make a well in the flour on the counter, add the eggs and spinach, beat with a fork while drawing in flour from the edges, then knead for 8 min until smooth, firm and evenly green. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepFresh spinach 90 gAll-purpose flour (or Italian 00 flour) 150 gEggs 1½

   high heat

2. Dice the onion, carrot and celery into 3 mm pieces. In a 22 cm heavy-based pot, cook the pancetta in the oil over medium heat until its fat runs, add the vegetables and cook for 10 min, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Tip into a bowl.

   Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 1 tbspPancetta, finely diced 60 gOnion 80 gCarrot 50 gCelery 40 g

   medium heat

3. Turn up to medium-high heat and add the beef and pork in 1 batch(es): spread the meat out and leave it undisturbed for 2 minutes so a dark crust forms, then break it up and brown the other side, 10 min in total. This browning gives much of the deep flavour. Return all the meat and the soffritto to the pot.

   Add in this stepGround beef (chuck) 160 gGround pork 80 g

   medium-high heat

4. Pour in the wine and boil over medium-high heat for 2 min, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the tomato paste, passata, half the stock, the milk and the Parmesan rind. When it bubbles, lower to low heat, set the lid ajar and cook very gently for 2 h 45 min, stirring every 20 minutes and adding the remaining stock little by little when it looks dry. It is done when it is thick and dark and a film of orange fat glistens on top. Remove the rind and season with salt.

   Add in this stepDry white wine 80 mlTomato paste 1 tbspTomato passata 160 gBeef stock 300 mlWhole milk (for the ragù) 100 mlParmigiano Reggiano rind (about 5 cm) 1Salt to taste

   medium-high heat→low heat

5. For the béchamel, heat the milk with the bay leaf and clove until steaming, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 min. Melt the butter in a 16 cm saucepan over medium-low heat, stir in the flour for 1 to 2 minutes, then strain in the warm milk while whisking and cook for 7 min, until it coats a spoon like thick cream. Season with nutmeg and a little salt. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

   Add in this stepWhole milk (for the béchamel) 350 mlBay leaf 1Whole clove 1Butter (for the béchamel) 25 gAll-purpose flour (for the béchamel) 25 gFreshly grated nutmeg 1 pinchSalt to taste

   medium-low heat

6. Roll out the pasta with a pasta machine (second-thinnest setting) or a rolling pin to about 1 mm, thin enough to see the shadow of your hand through it. Cut into rectangles the size of your dish. Blanch a few sheets at a time in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat for 30 sec, then lift into cold water and lay flat on a damp tea towel. Work in 2 batch(es).

   Add in this stepFlour for dusting 2 tbspCoarse salt (for the pasta water) 1 tbsp

   high heat

7. Butter a 15×20 cm dish and spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom. Build 5 layers of pasta, a thin layer of ragù, a thin layer of béchamel and a sprinkling of Parmesan, keeping each layer thin so the pasta stays the star. Finish with pasta, the remaining béchamel, plenty of Parmesan and small dots of butter.

   Add in this stepButter (to dot on top) 10 gGrated Parmigiano Reggiano (aged 24 months) 60 g

8. Bake in the oven at 180°C for 30 min, until bubbling at the edges with a golden top and crisp corners. Rest for 15 min before cutting into neat squares.

   oven