MEAT LASAGNA

Ingredients: 1 box of pasta sheets 150 gr. of grated assorted cheese 30 gr. of grated Parmesan cheese 6 slices of soft white cheese Bolognese sauce: 500 gr. of ground beef 2 tablespoons of olive oil ½ onion 1-2 garlic cloves 400 gr. of crushed tomatoes and the same amount of water 125 ml. of fried tomato 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of oregano, thyme or parsley Pepper to taste ½ glass of red wine Béchamel sauce: 500 ml. of milk 60 gr. of butter 60 gr. of cornstarch Pinch of salt and pepper ½ teaspoon of nutmeg Procedure: First, we will make the Bolognese sauce. In a pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the finely chopped garlic and onion. Add the meat, salt, pepper and stir with the help of a wooden spatula until well cooked. At this point, add the crushed tomatoes, water (which you can also substitute with beef or chicken broth), and the tomato sauce. Stir to combine everything, cover, and let it cook for about 20 minutes. After this time, add the parsley and red wine, stir a little more, and cover again to cook for another 15 minutes. The liquid should reduce. Set aside. Now we move on to preparing the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the cornstarch, and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk, which should be hot to prevent lumps from forming. It's very important to keep stirring. Add the nutmeg and salt, and mix until the sauce thickens. Set aside in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, touching the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Now we begin assembling the pasticho or lasagna. Grease a Pyrex-type container or any other oven-safe container. Add a tablespoon of tomato sauce and place pasta sheets until the base is covered. In my case, I used pasta that doesn't need pre-cooking. Top with a little béchamel sauce, followed by a little Bolognese sauce, cheese slices, and pasta again. Finish with béchamel sauce and the grated cheese evenly distributed. Bake for 20 minutes. Then switch to the broiler mode and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven very carefully and let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. It's even better the next day.

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