Lasagna Al Forno

This is an ivillage recipe that was suggested by someone on the WW board I post on.  I am making it for when my inlaws come for dinner tonight.  If it tastes half as good as it smells, it's going to be delicious!  The ragu simmered for several hours so the house smells like an Italian cafe.  We're pairing it with homemade garlic bread, salad and homemade garlic dressing (the recipe is in this blog).  Yes, Chris and I love garlic.

I'll post later about how dinner went.


1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
2 1/4 C. whole milk
2 celery ribs, chopped
3/4 C. ricotta
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz pancetta, diced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1 lb ground beef round
8 oz no-boil lasagna (12 sheets)
one 14.5 oz (411 g) can chopped tomatoes with their juices
1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/3 C. hearty red wine
4 tbsp. butter


To make the ragu sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and pancetta and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, about 10 minutes, until browned.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the wine, and the oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least 40 minutes and up to 2 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce boils. Stir in the ricotta cheese and season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Oil a large rectangular (9 x 13 in) baking dish and spread 1/4 cup of the white sauce on the bottom. Arrange 3 lasagna sheets in the dish and top with one third of the ragu and 1/2 cup of the white sauce. Repeat layers twice more. Top with 3 lasagna sheets, the remaining white sauce, and the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve hot.