When You’re Wanting To Impress, This Is The Dish! 

For many of us New Year’s Eve is a great time to test out new recipes or ones that we want to show off. This recipe is a bit of both. It looks gorgeous and it tastes even better, while still being a warm and filling meal great for a get together of friends and family. We’re making a lasagna roll up that will impress people with your ingenuity as well as getting them to ask for the recipe. 

Ingredients

For the sauce:

3 tbsp olive oil

¾ C pancetta, cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 ⅓ C packed ground beef

2 ⅓ C packed ground pork

7 Tbsp milk

2 x  16oz cans chopped tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 rosemary sprig (or 1 tsp dried) 

2 thyme sprigs 

2 tsp dried oregano

1 beef stock cube

2 C red wine

For the bechamel:

4 Tbsp butter

4 Tbsp  all-purpopse flour

 3 generous cups of milk

½ C mozzarella, grated

½ C parmesan, grated

Nutmeg -to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

For the assembly:

6-8  sheets flat, al dente lasagna (the crinkled variety makes this recipe incredibly difficult) 

¾ C grated provolone, grated

½ C mozzarella, grated

½ C parmesan

 

 

Instructions:

 

For the sauce: Put the oil and pancetta in a large saucepan on medium (a Dutch oven is a great option). Gently cook until the pancetta is crispy and golden. Add the onion and turn the heat down, cooking for about 10 minutes until the onion is softened. Then add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. It should be a wonderfully aromatic mix at this point. 

 

Next, add in your ground beef and pork, breaking down the meat with the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula. Then add the milk and chopped tomatoes to the pot. Stir in the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, oregano, beef stock cube, and wine, and bring to a simmer.

 

Cover with a lid and cook for 1 hr, occasionally stirring to stop the bottom scalding. Then remove the lid and gently simmer for another 30 mins-1 hr until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste and season, then set aside to cool with the lid off. 

 

For the bechamel sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, and once melted, add the flour and mix in. Right here is one of the keys to French cooking, making a roux. The important part is the next step. Cook the flour and butter mix for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flavor of the flour. Stir in the milk, a little at a time – adding milk slowly to avoid lumps. A whisk is best here to fully incorporate everything. 

 

When all the milk is fully mixed in, bring the sauce to a simmer, constantly stirring until thickened. Do not let it come to a boil. Now stir in the cheeses and a good grating of nutmeg. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

 

Preheat your oven to 400*F, and get ready to put everything together. 

 

To assemble: Lay a large piece of baking parchment on top of a large baking sheet. Lay the lasagna sheets on top of the baking sheet so that they are touching, and top with ½ of the provolone and ½ of the mozzarella. Place this under the broiler for 2 minutes to melt the cheese and form the lasagne into a single sheet. 

 

Once the cheese has melted, it’s time to add the filling. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the solids from your sauce and transfer that to the lasagna. Spread the sheet of lasagne with the meat sauce and drizzle over a little of the bechamel sauce, then add the last of the grated parmesan. Roll the whole thing up like a swiss roll and place it into a dish large enough to fit it. Pour over the remaining bechamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining provolone and mozzarella. Place into the oven for 30 minutes, then remove and sprinkle the last of the Parmesan over the top. Slice the roll to show off your beautiful work, and impress your guests! 

 

What did you think? Will you be trying this one out for New Years Eve? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. As always, we love to hear from you! 

 

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