by Janelle2277,
2/21/2012I have been reading and cooking recipes from Finecooking for over 10 years and have very rarely come across one that I did not like. Based on the other reviews, it looks like I am alone here for posting a bad review. I love beef brisket and have made lots of ragu sauces in the past and was looking foward to trying this very much. The result, however, was to me almost inedible. The ragu was extremely greasy, fatty and grainy. It reminded me of the horrible kind of overcooked chili you can get in cafeterias. The brisket I used was a beautiful cut, I actually braised half of it the week before and it was phenominal, so I cannot blame it on that. I am a very good homecook, but cannot deny I might have made some sort of mistake. But even chilling the sauce overnight and scraping off all of the solidified fats did not help. That said, my husband and inlaws still enjoyed the lasagna very much, despite the greasiness.
by moetitus,
1/4/2012I have made this a number of times, and I can't get enough. I used to make Lydia Bastianich's bolognese sauce, which is fabulous, but this beats hers (sorry, Lydia!). I will never layer a meat lasagne with ricotta ever again...bechamel is so much more fantastic, so light, creamy, ehereal...gotta go make some more! P.S. I always make a double batch and freeze - turns out beautifully.
by laurava,
9/17/2011This is an excellent recipe- it is rich but still light as others have stated. There is some time effort to make the ragu but the results were worth it. We shared this with some foodie friends and they got a copy of the recipe and made it as well. A winning recipe.
by SoozCooks,
2/15/2011I didn't personally make this recipe - my daughter-in-law did but we got to eat the other half when they went on vacation the day after she made it. Not sure what it tasted like the day she made it (my son said it was delicious) but it was fabulous the next day. My DIL did say it basically took all day to make it, but it was worth it!
by jenniferSutherland,
1/16/2011This Lasagne recipe is absolutely phenomenal!! Made it for a large group of people along with a more traditional tomato based lasagne. Hands down the Beef & Pork Ragu won the hearts of EVERYONE! Will definitely make this again and again.
by rosevp,
4/25/2010I love this recipe, the ragu is really delicious and nice change from the usual tomato based versions I've had in the past. I've made this twice now and was actually surprised that I liked it (a lot) better made with the chicken broth over the beef broth. Who would have thought since it is a beef and pork ragu. The beef broth made it too rich for me, whereas the chicken broth seemed to balance it out better. Try it both ways and see what you prefer.
by guadalupe,
2/13/2010Excellent! Husband loves this.
by aislinn,
1/2/2010This is the first lasagne recipe I have ever tried. We have a very old and established family recipe but I wanted to try something new. This was excellent. I would but a layer of noodles on the bottom but other than that follow this exactly. I made two extra trays and froze them.
by KarenS,
2/1/2009This is excellent! I love the ragu. I make an entire pan and freeze the leftovers for quick dinners. Its just as good on the second round!
by Lili,
1/23/2009all I can say is this is fabulous and I love making it every time because I know what the end result will be! Thanks for such a wonderful recipe.
by FewTopIngredients,
1/17/2009I come from Bologna, where this recipe is one of the traditional Christmas first courses, together with tortellini.
The recipe is almost perfect (compared to traditional, centuries old one), the only choice that could be argued with is the one of adding red wine to the ragu. Some families in Bologna add chicken livers and/or porcini mushrooms (boletus edulis) for a richier, tastier version of the ragu, but i find it too rich.
Finally, you can try to use fresh tomatoes in summer (assuming the fact that you can still find real tomatoes in your region, grown under the hottest possible sun in real earth, with skin and shape irreguralities, but with incomparable taste) you will find that the ragu is slightly more acid, but very pleasant.
by Elonios,
12/16/2008
by DKB,
11/26/2008This lasagne is very different than the usual tomato and meat sauce type. The ragu is very concentrated, rich and meaty. Excellent for entertaining especially if you make the ragu the day before.
by SandyW,
10/26/2007
by kepharel,
2/13/2008I was never a big fan of lasagna, with all the heavy melted cheeses and overpowering tomato sauce. This one changed my mind. It is the most amazing lasagna I've ever eaten! I love the light richness of the besciamella and the depth of flavor in the ragu. It takes a LOT of work, but for a special occasion, it is definitely worth it. I always make the ragu a day or two ahead of time; otherwise I would go nuts. This year I'm making it for my husband on Valentine's Day!
by Navg8440,
1/3/2008This is an absolutely beautiful lasagne - somehow it's rich, but light. Don't need to change a thing. I make 2 or 3 times the ragu and freeze so I can make a lasagne on short notice.
by JCReed,
12/21/2007This is a favorite at my house. I make a double batch of the ragu and freeze for future use. The flavors of this lasagne are unique and create a rich and light dish. I've been making various recipes of lasagne for years, but this one is by far my favorite. I do usually make the ragu a day before just to spread out the work.
