Lasagne alla Bolognese

Americans have been making lasagna wrong for generations. They pile on ricotta, which has no place in this dish. They use thick, corrugated noodles from a box. They drown everything in tomato sauce and call it Italian. It is not.

True lasagne alla Bolognese is something else entirely. The pasta sheets must be thin enough to read a newspaper through, if you still read newspapers. The ragù is the authentic meat sauce of Bologna, simmered for hours until the meat surrenders completely, with restrained tomato and no garlic whatsoever. The béchamel is light, almost pourable, binding the layers without overwhelming them. And Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated fresh between each layer, provides the only sharpness.

This dish requires three separate preparations before assembly: the ragù, the pasta, and the béchamel. None can be rushed. If you are not prepared to give this a full afternoon, make something else. But if you do it properly, you will understand why the families of Emilia-Romagna have been making this for Sunday pranzo for centuries.

It is extremely important to avoid overcooking lasagna. Mushy lasagna is an abomination. The pasta should hold its delicate texture, the top should be golden but not burned. And you must let it rest before cutting, or the layers will collapse into chaos.