Lazy Lasagna Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
• 8 oz tomato sauce canned
• 0.5 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth 
• 1 pound ground beef chuck 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 8 servings béchamel sauce 
• 9 oz oven-ready lasagna dried
• 0.5 pound mushrooms 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 0.5 lb onion peeled chopped
• 5 oz parmesan cheese shredded
• 1 cup parsley finely chopped
• 0.5 pound mild sausages italian
• 6 oz tomato paste canned

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• aluminum foil
• spatula

Directions

1. Rinse mushrooms; trim off and discard discolored stem ends. Thinly slice mushrooms. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine mushrooms, onion, and olive oil. Cover and stir often over medium-high heat until mushrooms are juicy, about 4 minutes. Uncover, add parsley, and stir often over high heat until vegetables are lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a bowl.
3. Add beef and sausages to pan. Over high heat, crumble meats with a spoon and stir often until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes; discard fat.
4. Add mushroom mixture, thyme, vinegar, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and broth; stir until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
5. Spoon 1 cup bchamel sauce into a shallow 9- by 13-inch casserole (3 qt.) and spread evenly over bottom. Arrange 1/4 of the pasta evenly over bchamel sauce to cover as much of the casserole bottom as possible.
6. Spoon 1/3 of the meat sauce over pasta in casserole and spread level.
7. Drizzle meat sauce with about 1/2 cup bchamel and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup cheese. Cover cheese with another 1/4 of the pasta and top with another 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1/2 cup bchamel, and 1/4 cup cheese. Arrange a third layer of pasta over cheese and cover with remaining meat sauce, 1/2 cup bchamel, and 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with the last 1/4 of the pasta and spread remaining bchamel over pasta to moisten evenly; sprinkle with remaining cheese and the nutmeg. Cover pan tightly with foil.
8. Bake in a 350 regular or convection oven until sauce is bubbling vigorously and pasta edges are beginning to brown (lift a corner of foil to check), about 40 minutes.
9. Let stand about 10 minutes; cut into rectangles and serve with a wide spatula.