Bolognese & Béchamel Lasagna - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Bolognese Sauce
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
1 carrot (grated)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
1 cup beef stock
1 cup red wine
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk
Bechamel Sauce
2 cups milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon peppercorn
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 pinch nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
12 oven ready lasagna noodles
4 cups italian blend shredded cheese
fresh basil (to garnish)

Preparation

Bolognese Sauce:
In a Medium Sized Pot, olive oil over medium heat.
Add onion, celery seed, fennel seed, carrot and garlic.
Cook until onions are translucent (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Add Ground beef and sausage, and cook until meat is no longer red.
Raise heat to medium high and add wine and stock.
Cook sauce until wine and stock are mostly evaporated.
Reduce heat to low and add oregano, rosemary, parsley, salt, pepper, sage, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg. Let cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Add crushed tomatoes, one can of tomato sauce and liquid smoke, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Let sauce simmer on low partially covered for about 3 to 4 hours, stir every 30 minutes adding additional tomato sauce as needed.
10 minutes before serving, add milk.
Bechamel Sauce:
Add milk, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns to a medium sauce pan, on medium high heat, bring just to a boil. Turn heat off.
Cover and let infuse for 15 minutes.
In a medium non-stick pan, melt butter, whisk in flour and cook, stirring, until the flour is foaming but not brown. Turn off heat.
Strain in the hot milk. Whisk well, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.
Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer for 1-2 more minutes while continuously whisking.
Lasagna.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread 3/4 cup of bolognese sauce in the bottom of the pan.
Place 4 lasagna noodles on top of bolognese layer.
Spread a thin layer of bechamel sauce on lasagna noodles.
Spread another layer of bolognese sauce over bechamel sauce.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of cheese over bolognese.
Repeat with another layer of noodles, bechamel, bolognese and cheese.
Top with the final layer of noodles, bolognese and cheese, cover with foil.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting, top with fresh basil and serve.