1 yellow onion chopped into small dice
1 stalk celery washed and chopped into small dice
1 carrot peeled and grated
3 ounces chopped thinly sliced prosciutto
1 ½ pounds ground beef (80/20 works well)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup white wine
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1 pound cooked or fresh lasagna pasta sheets
3 pounds fresh whole-milk ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Romano cheese
2 whole free-range eggs
2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese
Sweet basil tomato sauce
In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil, celery, onion, carrot, beef and prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper and sweat until vegetables are translucent and the meat is browned. Add the white wine and cook until the wine has all but evaporated, then add the milk and simmer until the liquid has all but evaporated. Repeat the process with the chicken stock. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Combine the ricotta, eggs and Romano and Parmesan cheeses in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large baking pan, spoon in a layer of tomato sauce, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with sheets of pasta, then spoon half of the meat mixture onto the pasta sheets, and cover the meat with a layer of pasta sheets. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta sheets then cover with a layer of pasta sheets. Add the meat sauce, pasta, ricotta and a final sheet of pasta. Cover the top sheet with a layer of tomato sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake lasagna in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot in the center. Serve on a pool of sweet basil tomato sauce. Serves 8 to 10.
