Serves 8–12

Part I: Prepare meat mixture
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 lbs carrots, diced
1 lb celery, diced
1 1/2 lbs red onion, diced
3 lbs lean ground beef
2 cups red wine
1 tbsp beef base
2 stems fresh rosemary
3 lbs San Marzano peeled tomatoes, slightly chopped
Sea salt

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat olive oil until it sizzles; add the onions
2. Add a pinch of salt and stir until golden
3. Add the celery and carrots, then cook for a future 10 minutes (or until they soften). Stir in the ground beef; keep turning over the meat making sure it cooks evenly and thoroughly (the color will change as this happens).
4. Add more salt (to taste) along with rosemary, beef base and the red wine (last)
5. Cook until juices come to the surface (roughly 15 minutes)
6. Lower to medium heat, add the tomatoes and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally7. Set aside and let it cool

Part II: Prepare besciamella
3/4 lb all-purpose flour
1/4 lb unsalted butter
3 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp nutmeg
3 liter of whole milk

1. Heat the milk but keep under boil
2. In another deep saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add the flour and nutmeg and whisk until smooth and light gold
4. Add the heated milk, 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly
5. Cook for another 15 minutes until it thickens, constantly whisking
6. Set aside and let it cool

Part III: Layer the lasagna
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 3 tbsp of salt
2. Set up an ice bath close to the stove
3. Drop lasagna sheets in the boiling water (a few at a time), cook for 1 minute
4. Transfer the lasagna sheets to the ice bath, then drain and lay the pasta flat
5. Butter a baking dish (approx. 12" x 20" and 2 1/2" deep)
6. Spread a layer of besciamella over the bottom, a layer of lasagna sheets, a layer of the meat mixture, then another layer of besciamella
7. Repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of lasagna sheets topped with besciamella, a little meat mixture and a cup of Parmigiano sprinkled evenly on top
8. Bake for 30 minutes
9. Pour 4 cups of tomato sauce over the top and bake for another 15 minutes
10. Before serving, sprinkle with additional Parmigiano

Reproduced with permission of Max Restaurant.