The full assembly — fresh pasta, ragù, creamy béchamel, and plenty of Parmesan. Can be assembled and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
0.3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
0.3 teaspoons nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
1 salt and pepper
1.5 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
STEPS
1. Make the béchamel: Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 0.3 cups all-purpose flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until it smells slightly nutty. Gradually whisk in 3 cups whole milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened — about 5 minutes. Season with 0.3 teaspoons nutmeg (freshly grated if possible) and 1 salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Reheat ragù and preheat oven: Gently reheat your ragù if it was refrigerated overnight. Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. Layer the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of ragù on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Add a layer of pasta sheets, then a layer of ragù, then a few spoonfuls of béchamel, then a sprinkle of 1.5 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients — aim for 3–4 layers.
4. Top and refrigerate (or bake): Finish with a final layer of pasta, the remaining béchamel spread over the top, and a generous handful of 1.5 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated. At this point you can refrigerate overnight, or proceed to baking.
5. Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
NOTES
Letting the assembled lasagna rest in the fridge overnight actually helps — the layers meld together and it slices more cleanly. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off. Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day.