Lasagne bolognese, Italian classic that has received millions of positive compliments over time. The taste is dominated by the exquisite bolognese sauce that goes very well with any kind of pasta in any form. Try preparing the meal today with Hana’s Recipes, it will not take longer than 45 minutes!
It’s all about the bolognese sauce…
As the name of the Italian dish suggests, lasagne bolognese is admired across the whole world, thanks to the taste of the bolognese sauce itself. It comes directly from the Italian city Bologna. Also called the “ragù alla bolognese”, it is a meat-based sauce full of rich flavours. In Italy, it is considered to be one of the most well-known and beloved sauces, especially due to its adaptability to be served with different pasta dishes (not just the mentioned lasagne bolognese but also tagliatelle or spaghetti, for instance).
The uniqueness of the sauce lies in its foundation. It is the soffritto (a mixture of chopped onions, carrots and celery poured in the olive oil or butter) that is the key for creating an aromatic base of the sauce and developing its overall rich flavours.
The meat itself is certainly a great addition too. The bolognese sauce particularly uses a combination of both the ground beef and pork, as it will be shown later in the photo recipe. In such a way, a more complex sauce flavour is developed, compared to sauces utilising only one type of meat. Since the focus is primarily on the meat in the sauce, only a small amount of tomatoes is added (either as a tomato paste or canned tomatoes). As a result, tomatoes rather provide a background note to the sauce instead of dominating its flavours.
As already introduced, the bolognese sauce itself goes hand in hand with different types of pasta. However, the most common two are tagliatelle / spaghetti and lasagne. Hana’s Recipes blog page has specifically adopted the recipe for lasagne bolognese, in which not only the bolognese sauce dominates but also the overall flavour and aroma of the meal are enhanced due to the zucchini addition.
Let’s move to the recipe already!
Needed ingredients
- 500 g of minced meat (½ beef and ½ pork),
- 12 sheets of lasagne dough,
- 2 pieces of tomato puree (500 g),
- 1 small leek (or 2 large onions),
- 3 cloves of garlic (or 2 large onions),
- 1 small zucchini,
- Olive oil,
- Hard cheese (mozzarella may be used),
Spices:
- Salt,
- Crushed cumin,
- Turmeric,
- Pepper,
- Dried basil,
- Dried tomatoes
Preparation of the lasagne bolognese with zucchini addition
1
Firstly, fry leeks or onions in 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add minced meat and finely chopped zucchini. Season with salt, crushed cumin, turmeric, basil and dried tomatoes as well. It is important to fry, so that the meat releases its own juices.
2Secondly, add the tomato puree and a little sugar for taste. Boil for 10 minutes. Then add 0.5 liters of boiled water, crushed garlic and simmer for another 20 minutes. If necessary, add more water to taste.
3Pour a larger spoon of sauce into a deeper baking dish, so that it covers the entire surface. Place the sheets of dough. They should not overlap. Then pour enough sauce over to cover them. They must be soaked, so that they are pliable after baking as the dough is not yet cooked. Finish with the sauce and press down, so that the sauce gets everywhere in the baking dish.
4If the mixture seems to be juicy, add a little water. Bake at a temperature of 170°C for about 30 minutes. Then sprinkle generously with hard cheese (mozzarella may be used) and bake for another 10 minutes.
5
Lastly, decorate and serve with chopped leek, basil or left tomatoes.
Done! Good job with the preparation! Now enjoy serving your lasagne bolognese with zucchini to family members or even visitors!
Similar videorecipe to master the lasagne bolognese preparation
Not getting enough of the Italian cuisine? How about Hana’s Recipes’ delicates such as the traditional tiramisu or homemade meatballs? Hosting an Italian dinner party to show off such meals will certainly be a good idea after trying out these photo recipes! We wish you good luck with their preparation!
FAQ 1: What are some serving suggestions for lasagne bolognese?
Lasagne bolognese itself is already considered as a rich main course for the human stomach. Therefore, it can also be served alone. However, if you like to add something and enhance the overall presentation of this Italian dish, it pairs well with pieces of garlic bread, a simple green salad or steamed vegetables. Of course, do not hesitate to experiment if there are any flavours not yet implemented in or with lasagne bolognese.
FAQ 2: Is it possible to make a vegetarian version of lasagne bolognese?
Although the flavours might not be as rich and complex as in the original version, it is certainly possible to make a vegetarian alternative to the meal, so that people with dietary limitations can properly enjoy the Italian cuisine too. The main part that needs to be substituted is the meat in the bolognese sauce. Some vegetarian alternatives might include lentils, mushrooms or textured vegetable protein. As said previously, even with the vegetarian version, the adjustments to flavours may be applied to fully experience the Italian cuisine.
FAQ 3: What cheese specifically would be the best to use for lasagne bolognese?
Basically, any hard cheese type can me implemented in the recipe. Parmigiano-Reggiano is typically used for lasagne bolognese. Hana’s Recipes portal has also mentioned the potential use of mozzarella. In addition, what might also be applied is the combination of different cheese types to achieve richer flavour, aroma as well as overall texture of the pasta dish. It all depends on how big of a cheese lover you are at the end.
