Italian Lasagne with ragù and béchamel sauce

Ingredients:

1 package Giovanni Rana Lasagne
fresh grated Parmigiano as needed
for the ragù:
6 oz. lean ground beef
1 carrot
1 small onion
1 stalk of celery
extra virgin olive oil as needed
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup red wine
7 oz. tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste		 for béchamel sauce:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 quart milk
nutmeg and salt to taste

Preparation:
Ragu:
Chop the vegetables. Sautè in olive oil with the clove of garlic. Remove the garlic. Add meat to the vegetables. Let cook for a few minutes. Add the wine. When the wine evaporates, add the bay leaf and the tomato sauce. Let simmer for about one hour. Stir occasionally.

Béchamel sauce:
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add flour. Mix well. Add the previously warmed milk (do not boil). Stir until it starts to simmer. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Let cool.

Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce in a baking pan. Cover with lasagne sheets. Add one layer of ragù. Add one layer of béchamel sauce. Continue with more layers of lasagne, ragu and béchamel sauce. Cover the last layer of lasagne with béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano. Bake in a preheated oven (or in a 750 watt microwave oven) at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

For a softer texture, cook the lasagne sheets in boiling salt water for 2-3 minutes before preparing the dish.

serves: 6-8