Lasagna della Domenica
Lasagna della Domenica
Sunday lasagna
Katie Parla•
March 20, 2026
In Rome, lasagna is stripped of the pageantry you find in its northern cousin from Bologna. There’s no pork, no veal, no pancetta or nutmeg, just a straightforward beef ragù, slow-simmered until tender and rich. The béchamel is classic but unfussy, and the pasta egg-based and rolled into wide sheets that hold the layers together without fuss. This is the kind of dish that shows up at Sunday lunch and leaves a big impression. And while it asks you to prep three separate elements, the rhythm is meditative, the process grounding. When I make lasagna, I prefer to roll out the pasta with a rolling pin, rather than with a pasta machine, since the width of the pasta rolled through the machine is a couple of inches too narrow for the baking dish. Rolling by hand lets me cut a single sheet the size of the baking dish, rather than cobbling together smaller pieces for each layer.
Ingredients (20)
Ingredients (20)
Ragù di Carne
Besciamella (Béchamel)
Instructions
Combine the flour (2 ⅖ cups) and salt (½ tsp) in a large bowl and use your fingers or a spoon to form a large well in the center. Crack the eggs (3 large) into the well and gently beat them together with a fork. Working from the inside of the well to the edges, slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead until it is supple and glossy, 7 to 8 minutes.
Form into a tight ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to hydrate the flour for 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Lightly dust your work surface. Unwrap the dough and, working with around 3 ¾ oz at a time while keeping the rest covered, gently press the dough into a rough rectangle using flattened fingertips.
Dust the top of the dough with flour and begin rolling from the center outward in smooth, fluid movements, turning the dough 90 degrees every 3 to 4 rolls to maintain an even shape. Use light, steady pressure and add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Keep rolling until the sheet is smooth, elastic, and thin enough to faintly see your hand through it when held up to the light.
Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into an approximately 10 ×14-inch sheet. Set aside on a lightly floured work surface. Repeat with the remaining dough. Set aside any pasta scraps for Maltagliati (See tip here). Let the pasta sheets cure, uncovered, for 30 minutes before cooking.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 °F. Lightly oil a 9 ×13-inch baking dish.
Line two baking sheets with clean kitchen towels. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt (½ tsp) until the water tastes like a seasoned soup. Working in batches, blanch the pasta for 30 seconds. Use a spider to transfer the pasta to the kitchen towels and set aside to cool.
Spoon ⅔ cup of ragù into the prepared baking dish, distributing it evenly.
Spread ⅓ cup of the béschamel over the ragù, distributing it evenly.
Place one pasta sheet over the sauce and béchamel layer. Spread about ⅔ cup of ragù over the pasta, followed by ⅓ cup of béchamel, distributing it evenly. Dust with about ⅓ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the pasta, ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano layering three more times.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake until the pasta is cooked through and the edges are crispy and browned, about 30 minutes more.
Set the lasagna aside to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
The cooked lasagna will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reserve any leftovers for Mattonelle di Lasagna.
Ragù di Carne or Roman Meat Sauce
Heat the olive oil (2 Tbsp), celery (1 stalk), carrot (1), and onion (1 small) in a large pan over low heat. Season with a heavy pinch of salt and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 25 minutes.
Add the ground beef (8 oz), increase the heat to medium-high, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the wine (½ cup) and cook just until the alcohol aroma dissipates, about 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes (14 oz), bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the flavors have married, about 20 minutes.
Besciamella (Béchamel)
Melt the butter (2 Tbsp) in a medium saucepan over low heat.
Slowly rain in the flour (⅓ cup) and nutmeg (¼ tsp), whisking continuously. Cook until the flour smells toasted and nutty, 4 to 5 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk (2 cups)milk, 4 minutes.
Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Season with saltsalt and set aside.
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