Green Bolognese Lasagne

Green Bolognese lasagne is a rich and tasty dish that everyone will enjoy! Another good thing about lasagne is that it can be prepared in advance, stored in the freezer, defrosted, and put in the oven when needed.

You can also prepare and cook them the day before for about 15 minutes, store them in the fridge and finish cooking them on the day they are to be enjoyed, until au gratin.

You can also prepare the necessary ingredients in advance and assemble them on the day of their consumption:

Prepare the fresh egg pasta in advance.

Roll out the pasta and cook the sheets a few hours in advance, putting them to rest on a cloth so that they do not stick to each other.

Prepare the ragout the day before, or even earlier if you freeze it; in this case, defrost completely before using it.

You can prepare the béchamel sauce a few hours in advance.

You can also make the lasagne a few hours in advance and cook it in the oven before eating it, remembering to allow it at least 10 minutes to rest before serving.

Do not roll out the pasta to a thickness of more than 3 mm, as this will ensure the right balance between pasta, the ragout, and the béchamel sauce.

A lasagne worthy of the name must have at least 4 or 5 layers of pasta, do not use less!

Pay attention to the consistency of the meat sauce: it should not be liquid and watery, but thick and creamy; if required, reduce it over low heat before using it for the lasagne.

Pay attention to the béchamel, it must be fluid but consistent, not liquid.

Do not spread the ragout and béchamel sauce only in the centre, but evenly over the whole sheet of pasta: this will ensure that the lasagne is all cooked and not dry on the sides.

Do not let the lasagne stick to the bottom and sides of the pan: butter the pan and spread a first layer of béchamel sauce, then start with the pasta.

Do not cut the lasagne as soon as it comes out of the oven; it is easier to cut if left to rest for at least ten minutes.

If you have leftover cooked green lasagne Bolognese, you can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days; when you are ready to use it, heat it in the oven at 180°C, covered with aluminium foil to prevent it from drying.

Also keep them in the freezer; defrost them well in the fridge before tasting them, and then heat them in the oven at 180°C, always covered with aluminium foil.

If you have leftover sheets of cooked pasta, cut them into any shape you like, tagliatelle or any other, and keep them in the fridge for up to a couple of days. When you are ready to use them, simply put them in boiling water just for a moment and then add them in a pan to a good tomato and basil sauce, for example.

You can also freeze the sheets of cooked pasta and use then another time: lay one sheet on top of the other, separated by baking paper so they do not stick together. You can store them in the freezer flat or rolled after first covering them carefully with cling film and then with aluminium foil.

When you need them, take the sheets of pasta and defrost in the fridge: they will be ready to be reused for other types of lasagne, like fish lasagne, for example.

Tradition is that Green Bolognese Lasagne is made with fresh egg pasta with spinach, unlike lasagne with ragout for which classic fresh pasta made only with eggs and flour is used.

Putting the pasta sheets in ice water after draining them not only stops the cooking process, but also allows the pasta to be handled without burning the hands.

In Italy, lasagne is one of the best-loved dishes and is made for important occasions and for more informal events, like going out for an outdoor picnic.