Christmas Eve Lasagna

Step 1

Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery & onion to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until the mixture is broken down into fine pieces. The mixture should not be puréed; you should still be able to see small pieces of carrot, celery & onion. Transfer to a medium bowl & set aside.

Step 2

Add the pancetta & garlic to the bowl of the same food processor used to make the soffritto (no need to wash it!). Pulse just until the mixture is broken down into fine pieces. Set aside.

Step 3

Add the olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pot (at least 4-quart capacity) over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the pestata mixture from Step 1 and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta renders & the garlic is fragrant, 4-5 minutes.

Step 4

Add the soffritto mixture from Step 1 to the pot with the pestata. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned & fragrant, 15-20 minutes. If the veggies begin to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Once browned, push the pestata & soffritto mixture to the outer edges of the pot.

Step 5

Generously season the beef and pork with 1 teaspoon kosher salt each. Add the meat to the center of the pot with the soffritto & pestata mixture. Do not touch the meat for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to brown deeply. Turn the meat over and brown the second side for 2-3 minutes. Once browned on both sides, use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart into fine crumbles. Stir to combine with the soffritto mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned completely, 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to coat the meat & soffritto mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes to brown.

Step 6

Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the red wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed into the meat mixture.

Step 7

Tie the herbs together using kitchen twine (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add to the pot with the bay leaves & parmesan rind, if using. Add the crushed tomatoes & broth or water, stirring to combine.

Step 8

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes. If the bolognese begins to reduce too much (losing too much of its liquid too quickly), feel free to add in a splash more broth/water, reduce the heat further, &/or cover the pot.

Step 9

Stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan. Taste and season with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper, as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Step 10

Meanwhile, as the bolognese sauce simmers, prepare the basil pesto ricotta. Add all listed ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and ground black pepper, or to taste. Stir until combined. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Step 11

Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray & set aside. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (see Recipe Notes, below). Ladle about 1 cup of the bolognese sauce into the baking dish, spreading it out to evenly coat the bottom. This prevents the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the dish as the lasagna bakes. Build your lasagna layer by layer:

Step 12

Arrange a second layer of lasagna. Top with 1/2 of the prepared basil pesto ricotta, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle some the mozzarella & Italian cheeses over top, using about 1/4 of the cheese.

Step 13

Repeat Layers 1 & 2, creating 4 alternating layers of bolognese & ricotta. Finish with one last generous sprinkling of cheese, using any remaining mozzarella & Italian cheese.

Step 14

Top with the prepared foil. Transfer to the refrigerator to rest for at least 12 hours before baking.

Step 15

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring an oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Remove the lasagna from the refrigerator, & set the baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven & bake the lasagna for 60 minutes, carefully removing the foil from the baking dish in the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the top. If desired, turn the broiler on in the last 5 minutes to give the cheesy top an especially golden brown & crispy finish.

Step 16

Carefully remove the lasagna from the oven. Set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing into 12-15 squares & serving. Enjoy!