Lasagne - another guaranteed to please!

Okay, so we have to admit it, Italian or no Italian, we all now look upon a good lasagne as a wonderful winter comfort food or served with a wonderful crunchy salad as a light summer meal. I am not sure one could ever say they have perfected this dish, purely for the fact that there are so many things one can change – different meats, herbs, spices and cheeses – each offering a different taste. I have, however, managed to put together my likes and can guarantee that if you make this recipe everyone will be happy with your efforts.

You will need:

Meat Ragu –

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 leek, diced finely ( you can substitute this with an onion if you prefer)

·         1 medium onions, finely chopped

·         1 carrot, grated or finely chopped

·         4 stalks celery, finely chopped

·         5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

·         500grams of beef mince, organic with healthy heart star rating

·         4 rashers bacon, diced

·         1 tablespoon tomato paste

·         I can diced tomatoes

·         ½  cup milk

·         ½  cup red wine

·         1 beef stock cube

·         2 tablespoons of fresh herbs; I use a mix of basil, oregano, parsley and thyme

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Béchamel -

·         2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1/4 cup flour

·         100g grated parmesan cheese

·         3 cups milk

·         2 teaspoons salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Lasagne –

·         1 packet of fresh lasagne pasta sheets,

·         1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

·         Oil for brushing

Cooking Instructions
Ragù:

1.       In a large heavy based saucepan, heat olive oil. Add leek, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Stir over medium heat until the vegetables are partly cooked and become opaque or translucent.

2.       Add beef mince and bacon to the vegetables, and brown over high heat. Make sure you continue to stir to avoid the meat from sticking together. Break the meat up with your wooden spoon as you go.

3.        Add the tomatoes, paste, milk, wine, stock cube, herbs and ½ cup of water. Simmer without a lid, over medium until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Béchamel:

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Stir thoroughly. Grab a wine and settle in for the process. Over medium heat whisk the sauce until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat as the saucepan will contain enough heat to complete the cooking. .

Putting it in the dish:

Grease a glass baking dish with melted butter or oil, and layer in the following order from the bottom: meat sauce, pasta, béchamel, and grated cheese. Save about 1 cup of béchamel for the last topping. Aim to make 3 to 4 layers of pasta, finishing with béchamel, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled over the top.

Cover with tin foil and sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes minimum.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, remove the tin foil and bake a further ten minutes until the top is golden brown and the lasagne is heated through. Remove from the oven allow to cool for 5- 10 minutes, slice, and serve.