🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🍝 Vincisgrassi
Vincisgrassi
The Marche's own elaborate baked lasagna, layered with a rich ragù of mixed meats and offal, béchamel, and Parmigiano, considered one of the region's grandest celebratory dishes.
Vincisgrassi predates and rivals Bologna's famous lasagna, its ragù traditionally built from a mix of meats including chicken giblets or sweetbreads, giving the finished dish a depth that has made it a fixture of Marche's most important family gatherings.
Ingredients
Equipment: Pasta machine, Large pot, Saucepan for béchamel, Baking dish
- 400 g (3 cups) 00 flour
- 4 eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 400 g (14 oz) mixed ground meats (beef, pork, chicken giblets)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) pancetta, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) dry white wine
- 500 g (1 lb) canned crushed tomatoes
- 800 ml (3¼ cups) whole milk, for the béchamel
- 70 g (5 tbsp) butter, plus more for the dish
- 70 g (½ cup) flour, for the béchamel
- Nutmeg, to taste
- 150 g (1¾ cups) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Make the pasta dough with flour, eggs, and salt, kneading until smooth. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes, then roll into thin sheets and cut into lasagna-sized rectangles.
- For the ragù, render the pancetta in a heavy pot, then sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until softened.
- Add the mixed ground meats and giblets, browning well, then pour in the wine and let it reduce.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, season, and simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours until rich and thick.
- For the béchamel, melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and cook briefly, then gradually whisk in the warm milk, cooking until thickened. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Blanch the fresh pasta sheets briefly in boiling water, then lay flat on clean towels.
- Butter a baking dish and layer pasta, ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano, repeating until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel and a generous layer of Parmigiano on top.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Let rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef Tips
- Let the ragù simmer long enough to become properly thick and deeply flavored — this is not a quick sauce.
- Resting the baked dish before slicing helps the layers hold together for cleaner portions.
- Traditional recipes often include chicken giblets in the ragù, giving real depth that a simple ground beef ragù won't quite match.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing the ragù, which needs real time to develop its characteristic depth.
- Making the béchamel too thin, resulting in a watery rather than creamy final dish.
- Slicing immediately after baking, before the layers have had a chance to set.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein and calcium, best enjoyed as a hearty, occasional celebratory dish.
Cultural Note
Vincisgrassi is one of the Marche's grandest culinary traditions, often reserved for major holidays and family celebrations, its name possibly linked to an 18th-century Austrian prince.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days; freezes well for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat covered in the oven until warmed through.
Serve with: A robust red wine from the Marche