Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls

This dish, Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls, has become a favorite of mine to make for pasta nights. I love this dish, because not only does it taste delicious, but it's easy to make! Got to love a good 30 Minute Meal!

Ingredients
Salt
1 pound Campanelle pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped
3/4 pound ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef (what is known as meatloaf mix)
1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 small to medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled
1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions
Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2 to 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.

The Verdict:
This is a great dish for a night that you're in the mood to have lasagna but you don't want to spend all the time cooking your noodles, making your sauce, layering your noodles and baking it. Last night I didn't have the campenelle (which is a really fun pasta to use) so I used what I had on hand (penne). I also didn't have the red wine so I ended up using some Marsala cooking wine that I had and I didn't notice any big difference in the flavor. The other deviation from the original recipe was using some leftover Asiago cheese that I had in the fridge instead of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. I love using the Béchamel sauce along with the meat sauce, they work really well together.

The boys love anything that is pasta related so they both had seconds!

Last nights Two Sauce Lasagna Bowl (with the Penne)