Green Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce and Bechamel

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely diced onions
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 quart whole or 2 percent milk
• 1 quart (4 cups) low-salt beef stock, or a combination of beef and chicken
• 8 ounces (3/4 cup) tomato paste
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 ounce (1/4 cup) cake or all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 18 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Salt and black or white pepper
• 6 ounces kale leaves (optional)
• 1 pound pasta flour or all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 cup fresh sage leaves, loosely packed
• 12 to 16 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

1. Heat a large heavy pot over high heat.
2. When the pan is hot, add meat and cook, stirring to break up chunks, until any liquid has evaporated and the meat starts to fry in its own fat.
3. Use a sturdy spoon and scrape the bottom often, to prevent burning.
4. When meat is golden and crusty, 10 to 15 minutes, add carrots, onions and celery.
5. Keep stirring and scraping over medium-high heat.
6. When vegetables have softened and meat is dark brown, reduce heat to low and pour in white wine.
7. Scrape all the drippings up from the bottom of the pot.
8. Add milk, stock and tomato paste, bring to a simmer, and mix the sauce until smooth.
9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Add bay leaves and sage and cook until meat is very soft and sauce is thick, about 30 minutes more.
12. Set aside, or cool and refrigerate up to 3 days.
13. Bring to room temperature or warm before using.
14. Make the bechamel sauce: In a heavy saucepan, melt butter until bubbly.
15. Sprinkle flour on the butter and cook, stirring, until it smells buttery and turns golden.
16. Whisking vigorously over medium heat, slowly pour in milk and whisk until mixture starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
17. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
18. Keep whisking and cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes: the sauce should be thick and smooth, with no floury taste.
19. Set aside, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
20. Bring to room temperature or warm before using; whisk in more milk if necessary to make a texture like thin mayonnaise.
21. Transfer to a pastry bag or thick sealable plastic bag.

ground beef, celery, carrots, onions, white wine, percent milk, beef stock, tomato, salt, bay leaves, sage, butter, cake, milk, ground nutmeg, salt, kale, pasta flour, eggs, salt, extravirgin olive oil, olive oil, sage, cheese, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016660 (may not work)