Lasagne spaghetti

Name: Lasagne spaghetti
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large brown onion, grated; 1 carrot, grated; 1 stick celery, grated; 2 cloves garlic, grated; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 250g pork mince; 250g beef mince; 50g pancetta, finely chopped; ½ cup red wine; 2 x 400ml cans diced tomatoes; 2 bay leaves; salt and freshly ground black pepper; stock (if using)

Adam Liaw

December 14, 2016

Twisted classic: A tweak to the usual recipe gives an old favourite a boost.William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursServes:6

Lasagne is lovely, but the layering is a tad tiresome. And spaghetti bolognese can be a bit too ordinary. So why not combine the two?

Ingredients

Ragu bolognese

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 stick celery, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
250g pork mince
250g beef mince
50g pancetta, finely chopped
½ cup red wine
2 x 400ml cans diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
stock (if using)

Easy bechamel sauce

75g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml full-cream milk
salt
pinch of ground nutmeg
500g packet spaghetti
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Method

For the ragu, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat and add the grated vegetables. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until very fragrant. Add the tomato paste and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the pork, beef and pancetta and stir to coat. Add the wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer partially covered for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally and topping up with a little stock or water if it starts to look too dry.
For the bechamel sauce, stir the butter and flour in a small saucepan over a medium heat for 2 minutes until foaming, then add the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly to remove lumps until a thin sauce is produced. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the salt and nutmeg.
Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet directions. Drain well and toss a third of the ragu bolognese through the drained pasta.
Share the pasta across 4 serving plates. Top each portion with alternating spoonfuls of the ragu and the bechamel, and finish with a little grated parmesan.
Tip
To get maximum flavour from your spaghetti in this dish, cook it until almost al dente, then add it to one third of the ragu with a little of the pasta water over a medium heat and finish it that way.