Lasagne

Adapted from the original recipe (opens in a new tab).

Ingredients List

Ragu

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 680g beef mince
  • 280g pork mince (or more beef)
  • 680g passata
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 3 heaped tbsp tomato purée (garlic and herb)
  • 2 beef stock cubes, crushed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp salt, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste

White sauce

  • 60g butter
  • 30g plain flour
  • 600ml milk
  • 100g parmesan, freshly grated

Assembly

  • 370g fresh lasagne sheets
  • 480g mozzarella, grated
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

Ragu

  1. Soften the onion and carrot in the oil over medium heat for 8-10 min, add the garlic for 1 min, then brown the beef and pork, breaking it up.
  2. Add the passata, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, stock cubes and dried herbs. Season with salt, pepper and sugar if using.
  3. Cover and simmer gently for 20-30 min, stirring now and then, until thickened.

White sauce

  1. Melt the butter, take off the heat and whisk in the flour for about 30 sec.
  2. Back on low heat, whisk in the milk about 250ml at a time until smooth, adding a splash more if it's too thick.
  3. Turn up to medium and cook, stirring, for 6-7 min until it coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Take off the heat, stir in the parmesan until melted and season.

Assembly

  1. Heat the oven to 180 C fan (190 C conventional).
  2. Spread about 250ml of ragu over the base of a 23x33cm dish and cover with lasagne sheets, trimming to fit.
  3. Add about 500ml of ragu and half the mozzarella, then another layer of sheets. Repeat, keeping some mozzarella back for the top.
  4. Finish with the rest of the ragu, then the white sauce, then the remaining mozzarella.
  5. Cover with foil and bake for 40 min, then uncover and bake 10-12 min more until golden.
  6. Scatter with parsley and rest for 10 min before slicing.