Blonde ragù pasta bake with prosciutto (nidi di tagliatelle al forno)

Method

1. To make the ragù, pour the oil into a large casserole over a medium heat. Tip in the carrot, onion and celery and fry for about 10 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Add the beef mince and fry, breaking it up, and let it cook. It doesn’t need to be heavily browned, but cook off any liquid from the meat. Add the pork mince and pancetta, then again cook off any liquid.
2. Add the wine, stir up any burnt bits from the base (deglaze the pan) and simmer until reduced by half, then add the herbs, chicken stock, milk and, if using, parmesan rind. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over a low heat for 2 hours to give a loose sauce with tender meat. Ideally, let it cool, then chill overnight to let the flavours develop.
3. To make the bechamel, pour the milk into a large pan over a low heat and warm it through (see Rosie’s tip). Put the butter in a large pan over a medium heat to melt. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking again. Add a ladleful of milk and whisk to combine – the mix will become thick and claggy briefly but keep whisking until smooth.
4. Add another ladle of milk, whisk again and let the mixture start bubbling again before adding more milk, continuing the process steadily. Once all the milk is in, simmer gently for 5 minutes, then taste the mix – you shouldn’t detect any grainy flour texture on the tongue. If you do, let it cook a little bit longer before removing from the heat. Season with salt, pepper and the grated nutmeg then, if you’re not using it straightaway, cover the surface with baking paper to prevent it from getting a skin.
5. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Gently reheat the ragù and bechamel separately until warmed through and loosened. Add half the ragù (discarding the parmesan rind if you used it) to a large baking dish, then sit the pasta nests on top in a single layer. Pour over half the bechamel, covering each nest well, then add the remaining ragù, followed by the remaining bechamel. Add a piece of mozzarella followed by a piece of prosciutto on top of each nest, then sprinkle with the parmesan.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes covered, then a further 10-15 minutes uncovered to brown the top. Bring the dish to the table so everyone can dig in.