Meat and Béchamel Lasagna

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then sauté the onion until softened and fragrant without letting it brown.

Add the tomato paste and stir it into the onion until the flavors are well combined.

Add the celery and carrots, then sauté the vegetables well until softened.

Add the tomato juice and stir well. Add the salt, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder, then stir thoroughly and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Add the grape vinegar and stir over medium heat until the sauce is well combined, then remove it from the heat.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then sauté the onion until softened and fragrant without letting it brown.

Add the garlic and sauté well until fragrant and evenly incorporated.

Add the meat, breaking it up as it cooks, and stir over medium-high heat until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Season the meat with salt and black pepper and stir well to distribute the seasoning, then add the tomato and vegetable sauce and mix thoroughly.

Add the hot water and stir to combine. Cook the meat sauce over medium-low heat, stirring as needed, until reduced and concentrated without drying out.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently until fully melted without allowing it to brown or change color.

Add the all-purpose flour to the butter over medium-low heat and stir constantly until fully incorporated and a smooth, lump-free mixture forms.

Gradually add the milk while whisking over medium-low heat, then add the cooking cream, nutmeg, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Cook the béchamel sauce over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, then continue over low heat until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is smooth and evenly blended.

Begin assembling the lasagna by spreading a layer of béchamel sauce over the bottom of a baking dish, then arrange the lasagna sheets on top to cover the base completely.

Spread an even layer of meat sauce over the lasagna sheets, gently extending it to every edge of the dish without leaving any gaps.

Cover the meat sauce with an even layer of béchamel, then sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the top until the surface is covered.

Repeat the layers in the same order until you have 4 even, uniform layers, spreading the fillings all the way to the edges of the dish.

Cover the final layer with béchamel sauce, then evenly distribute the cheese mixture over the top until the lasagna is completely covered and ready to bake.

Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven on the bake setting at 180°C / 356°F, on the middle rack for 40 minutes, until the layers are cooked through and the cheese has melted.

Remove the lasagna from the oven once the layers are cooked through and the cheese topping is melted and set, then place the dish on a heatproof surface.