Real italian Lasagne - History and Recipe!

Lasagne (or Lasagna, singular) are flat pasta sheets alternated with tomato sauce (homemade!), meat or veggies and cheese.
I've personally deleted meat from my diet, and I make it with soya ragout or veggies as zucchini or mushrooms

Story
I've made a research and I've discovered it's originated in Italy during the Middle Ages, in Naples. In 14th Century, it was written in Liber de Coquina (The book of Cookery). Anyway it wasn't the lasagna we know today.

The traditional lasagna suggests to cook it in the oven (the famous lasagna al forno ).

(Ph. Ilroma.it)

Usually in the entire Italy we follow the same recipe, however each region has its own traditions and fresh ingredients.
For example, in Sardinia we make it with our Pane Carasau instead of lasagna sheets. But we don't call it Lasagna, we call it PANI FRATTAU. So, why am I writing it here? ahah

(Ph. oggi.it)

They were known to romans as "Laganon", indicating a thin layer of pasta.

During the Renaissance, the lasagna dough was made with wheat flour and eggs.

History has been made then in Emilia Romagna, where in 1881 the traditional recipe has been slightly modified adding tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

The recipe has been deposited by the Italian Kitchen Academy in 2003, nominating the "bolognese" lasagna as the main and original one.

Recipe:
Ingredients for a 20x30 cm baking dish

Lasagne layers - 21
Parmigiano Reggiano - 250 gr

For Bolognese sauce
Pork mince - 250 gr / Beef pulp - 500 gr (If you're veg: minced soya)
Tomato puree 250 gr
Carrots 50gr
Onions 50gr
Celery 50gr
Milk 40 gr
Extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Water 3l
(You can add white wine 250 gr)

For the sauce (Besciamella)
Whole milk 1l
Butter 100gr
00Flour 100gr
Nutmeg
Fine salt

Preparation
Begin to finely chopping with a sharp knife your celery, the peeled carrot and the onion, you should obtain 50gr for each ingredient. This is what we call soffritto.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped veggies, stew them for 10 minutes and stir.
Add the meat or soy.
Let stew again for 10 minutes and stir. When cooked, you can add the wine , but be sure that alcohol will be evaporated completely.
Now add the tomato puree and 1 lt of water.
Add salt, stir and let cook for one hour low heat!
Then, add the 2nd liter of water, stir and continue cooking for another hour.
Now, after 2 hours, put the 3rd liter of water and continue to cook for the last hour!
The result will be dense but not too dry.
Adjust salt and pepper, add a bit of milk and set aside.

Besciamella time!
Take a saucepan and heat the milk. Meanwhile in another pan melt the butter at low heat. When melted remove it from heat, add the flour and stir vigorously with a whisk to obtain a smooth mixture.
Put it back on heat, and slightly browning it.
When milk is hot,put a bit of grated nutmeg and a pinch of salt, then add the mixture. Mix it and cook it for 5-6 minutes on low heat.

Now let's have fun with layers!
Take a baking pan 30x20, distribute bechamel over the entire surface, then laid lasagne sheets and tomato sauce. Between layers put a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Then you go like this until the pan is complete.

Bake in preheated oven at 200° for about 25 min, on 180° for 15 min if you have a convection oven.

Buon appetito!