Lemongrass Ragu Lasagna

Name me one person who doesn’t enjoy the decadence that is a creamy, cheesy, meaty mouthful of lasagna! For Mother’s Day this year, and seeing as we’re all staying home in these trying times, I decided to put in some elbow grease and prepare an amazing lasagna from scratch. I don’t want to bore you with some long-winded story like some food blogs do, because I can’t wait to share this recipe with you.

Bear in mind that this is not a quick weekday dinner kind of thing (unless you have really good planning, as the individual elements can be made ahead of time). I took two days to finish the dish: One to prepare the ragu, and the day of serving to make the bechamel and pasta. Yes, handmade fresh semolina pasta! Nothing but the best for my queen. Personally I prefer a bechamel (white sauce)-filled lasagna over a ricotta and herb filling.

The lemongrass was a bit of a wild card and a non-traditional element, but I’ve been thinking about an infusing a Bolognese meat sauce with it so this was a first, and very successful attempt! The lemongrass gives it a fragrant aroma, adding an Asian twist while not overpowering the entire dish. I highly recommend adding lemongrass to your next meat sauce!

Ingredients (Serves 8)

Lemongrass Ragu (Double Batch):
3-4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot
2 celery stalks
2 medium onions
1 tsp minced garlic
500g ground pork
500g ground beef
4 tbsp thick tomato paste
2 stock cubes (chicken/beef)
400g can of tomatoes
5 stalks of lemongrass, bruised with back of a knife
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried chili/pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Some fresh or dried basil, optional
1 cup red wine, optional
1/2 cup milk, optional

Parmesan Bechamel Sauce:
4 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
3.5 cups milk
1 cup fine grated parmesan
Pinch of ground/freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Lasagna Noodles:
1.5 cups wheat flour
1 cup semolina (sugee flour)
3 whole eggs
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp olive oil, optional

To assemble:
350g shredded mozzarella
1/2-1 cup grated parmesan

Method

Preparing the Ragu:

1. Make the soffritto base (finely chop or process the carrot, celery and onion)
2. Over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the EVOO then add the soffritto. Lightly season with salt and pepper. 
3. Cook the soffritto until fragrant, slightly golden and onions are translucent
4. Add in the ground pork and beef and fry until brown (about 15-20 minutes)*
5. Add in the minced garlic, tomato paste and crushed stock cubes. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.
6. Add in the can of tomatoes and 2-3 cans worth of water (replace 1 cup of water with the wine, if using). Stir to combine
7. Add in oregano, chili flakes, bay leaves, lemongrass stalks, and basil (if using)
8. Simmer for 2-3 hours on low heat with the lid slightly opened, or in a 130C oven for the same time.
9. Finished product should be quite thick with considerably sauce, if its too thick, thin it out with a little bit of milk.
10. Let cool slightly. Ragu can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 3 days, or indefinitely in the freezer.

*Note: The meat will turn grey first and simmer instead of fry due to the water content, be patient and wait for the water to completely evaporate. You should be able to hear a sizzling sound when it finally starts to fry. Remember to stir every now and then to prevent sticking and burning.
**Note: Ragu can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 3 days, or indefinitely in the freezer. This recipe makes a double batch, you will only need about half of the prepared sauce for the lasagna.

Preparing the Pasta:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat and semolina flours
2. Make a well in the middle and add in the eggs, oil and salt
3. Using a fork, whisk together the eggs and slowly incorporate the flour in until a shaggy mass forms
4. Knead the dough together in the bowl then pour out onto a floured surface and knead for 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and bounces back when pressed.
5. Wrap the dough with clingwrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
6. Portion the dough into 4 pieces and roll out either by hand or with a pasta machine until evenly thin (it doesn’t have to be paper thin)
7. Cut the pasta sheets into whatever shape you want (it doesn’t matter too much for lasagna) and generously dust with flour to prevent sticking

Preparing the Bechamel:

1. Melt the butter in a medium-large saucepan or pot
2. Add in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes
3. Slowly add in 1 cup of the milk, little by little, mixing or whisking to prevent any lumps
4. Add the remaining milk and mix until smooth
5. Add in the parmesan cheese, trying to get rid of any lumps
6. Add a pinch of nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and black pepper
7. Let cool, it should thicken considerably

Assembling the Lasagna:

1. Boil the pasta sheets in lightly salted water for about 30 seconds (you are only half-cooking it)
2. In a large baking dish (ideally your serving dish), add about 1/3 cup of ragu at the bottom, spreading it out evenly
3. Place a single layer of parcooked pasta noodles, avoid overlapping
4. Add in 1/3-1/2 cup each of béchamel and rage, eyeballing to form an evenly layer across the surface
5. Sprinkle on a handful of shredded mozzarella
6. Repeat steps 3-5 until the lasagna pan is full to the brim, or until you have no more ingredients left (whichever comes first)
7. The top layer should be sauce, topped with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan
8. Place a sheet of parchment/baking paper over the top (to prevent sticking), and cover with aluminium foil
9. Bake in a 200C oven for 30-45 minutes, then remove the foil and parchment and broil (high heat, top down) until bubbling and golden brown
10. Tent with foil and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
11. Enjoy!