Psalm 79:9
[9] Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
for your name’s sake!
4 oz diced pancetta
2 lb boneless chuck roast cut in 2 inch chunks( Italian seasoning to coat beef chunks)
Refrigerate for 3 hours or more hours
2 T olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 Fennel bulb, diced
2 T roasted mashed garlic
1 c dry red wine ( I always used a Cotes du Rhone French wine)
1 bottle of tomato purée ( I used Cento Passata)
2 T sugar
Salt and pepper to taste sate
Crushed red pepper to taste
Béchamel sauce:
½ c butter
½ c AP flour
4 c whole milk
½ t kosher salt
½ t white pepper
¼ t nutmeg
Cottage cheese filling
16 ounces cottage cheese (whole milk)
2 eggs
2 T parsley
2 T basil
1 oz Parm, freshly grated
½ c grated mozzarella
Salt and pepper
9 sheets oven ready lasagna pasta
Finishing cheeses
1½ c grated mozzarella
1 c grated Parmesan
Cook the pancetta
Preheat oven to 350ºF
Place the diced pancetta in a Dutch Oven
Add olive oil
Turn the heat to medium
Stir occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes until the fat renders and the pancetta browns. Remove the pancetta from the pot and transfer to a large bowl
Brown the beef
Place the beef in the pancetta fat, add oil and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side until well browned on all sides
Transfer them to the bowl of pancetta
Add the diced onion and fennel to oil
Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes
Season the vegetables with salt and pepper
Pour in 1 cup of red wine
Simmer the ragù
Add the tomato purée
Stir in all of the meat
Season the sauce with salt, pepper, sugar, and crushed red pepper
Bring to a light boil
Once boiling, cover the pot and turn off the heat.
Cover with a parchment round and lid
Transfer to the preheated oven for 3-4 hours or until the beef can be shredded easily with a fork
Remove the pot from the oven
Taste the ragù and season if necessary
Remove beef to plate
Shred beef
Add back to pot
Refrigerate the ragù, remove the solid fat layer
Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the ragù to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes
Prepare the cottage cheese
Combine all of the ingredients for the cottage cheese mixture in a bowl
Use a whisk beat until smooth and creamy
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the béchamel:
Melt ½ cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat
Add flour and stir into the butter for 1 to 2 minutes
Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, whisking regularly, until the béchamel is smooth and thickened
Season with ½ t kosher salt, ½ t white pepper, and ¼ t nutmeg
To assemble
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Use 9×13 foil baking pan
Add 1/3 of the meat sauce to bottom
Add 3 Pasta sheets
Add 1/3 c of the béchamel and spread
Place 3 lasagna sheets over the béchamel
Add 1/3 beef ragu
Spoon half of the ricotta mixture on top of the lasagna
Place 3 more lasagna sheets on top of the béchamel
Add rest of ragu
Add 1/3 of bechamel
Add finishing cheeses
Bake the lasagna:
Cover the lasagna with foil
Transfer to the oven for 45 minutes
Remove from the oven and remove the foil
Sprinkle 1½ cups of grated mozzarella cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, broil the lasagna for 3 to 4 minutes to brown the cheese further, if desired
To serve
Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 minutes