Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls

A couple of months ago Gavin and I saw Rachael Ray make this quick version of lasagna. So, on Valentine’s Gavin and I made this and we thought it was delicious! The only tips we would add are the following: Start preparing the red sauce first because it takes the longest, then let it simmer. Next, do the white sauce, and then while it’s thickening, boil the noodles. We thought it could’ve been used more of the cheese sauce, but that could be because we used the spiral noodles and they hold more sauce in. So, we suggest using either fewer noodles or those with a flatter surface area. Our pictures don’t do this dish justice! The smells and combination of all the flavors really made this dish unique. Bon appétit! (Or buon appetito!)

Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound Campanelle pasta (A flat pasta is better)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 pound pan

cetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped (Harmons Meat Counter)

3/4 pound ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef

1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped

1 small to medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled

1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches

Freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons tomat

o paste

1/2 cup dry red wine (Red cooking wine works fine)

2 cups beef stock

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

Nutmeg, to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table

A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions

Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce

pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2 to 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.