How to Make the World’s Best Lasagna

Are you looking for a new way to make lasagna? For really great lasagna, try this classic Italian recipe. 

For starters, you will need 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup all purpose flour, 4 cups whole milk, pinch freshly grated nutmeg, 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, salt, pepper, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 pound ground beef, 1 ½ pounds ricotta cheese, 3 large eggs, 1 pound lasagna noodles cooked al dente, 2 packages 10 ounces each frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed until dry, 3 cups shredded mozzarella, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan.

To make the sauce for this lasagna, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  When the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Gradually add milk.  Simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and add nutmeg and tomato sauce.  Stir until blended.  Set aside and let cool.

Take a bowl and mix the ricotta and the eggs.  Season them with the salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Spread 1/3 of your sauce in a 13×9 baking dish.  Arrange pasta noodles covering bottom of dish.  Spread a layer of the ricotta mixture, then a layer of spinach.  Lay another layer of the noodles, followed by ALL of the ground beef. 

Sprinkle ½ the mozzarella on top of the beef.  Spread another 1/3 of your sauce, and continue to layer until you end with sauce.  Spread rest of mozzarella and Parmesan over top of lasagna. 

Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4 inch cubes, and place on top of the lasagna.  Bake 30 minutes covered, 15 minutes uncovered.