IvyHootie

Note:  I grind up the pancetta/bacon and garlic together in a mini-chopper (easier to keep it from getting too pasty)  and add them together at the meat stage, but the instructions below are assuming that you didn’t do that.

Another note:  You can chop up the onions, carrots and celery by pulsing in a food processor; it’s ok if they get kind of fine, just don’t let them turn to mush.  Alternatively, Trader Joes’ (and probably other groceries) sell a pre-made mire poix that’s pretty good; you can substitute a cup or two of that instead.

Heat the olive oil  in a 6- to 8-quart heavy potand cook onions, celery, carrot, and garlic over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes (make sure not to burn the garlic; you would have to wash your pot and start all over again.  Seriously).

Add pancetta, and whatever ground meat you’re using and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 6-10 minutes.  The point here is to cook the meat but not brown it

Stir in milk; let cook until milk is almost gone; add wine, broth and tomatoes; stir and let come back to a simmer.

Add thyme and gently simmer, covered, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Yet another note:  I make this in a big Le Creuset pot; once everything’s come to a simmer I sometimes put the lid on and put it in a 275 degree oven for an hour or two so that I don’t have to worry about stirring it or having the bottom burn.  If you’re super-lucky and have an oven with an automatic cook-time feature where you can program a time for the oven to shut off, even better; that way if you somehow happen to drink the leftover wine, you don’t have to worry about forgetting about it.

Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Frozen, it keeps for 1 month. It’s best made a day or two ahead of using.

For the bechamel:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups cold whole milk
• 1/2-1 cup grated parmesan (domestic is fine)
• kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste
• a pinch of nutmeg if you that sort of person

Melt the butter in a large saucepan; whisk in flour.  Cook for a minute (to get rid of the flour-y taste).

Add the milk and whisk.  Bring to a slow simmer until sauce is thickened; add cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble:

• One package no-boil lasagna noodles (I like Barilla the best so far)
• Sauce (don’t worry about including the juices in the lasagna; that’s what makes it work)
• Bechamel
• Grated parmesan
• 9×13 baking dish

Put a thinnish layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan.

Lay 4 lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the pan (there will be some minor gaps in some places, overlaps in others.  It’s cool).

Layer sauce to cover the noodles, then 1/3 of the bechamel.

Repeat noodles/sauce/bechamel 2 more times, for a total of 3 layers.

Sprinkle parmesan on top.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for maybe 45-60 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 15-20 more minutes until bubbling and starting to brown.

Let rest for 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven before cutting and serving.