Best lasagna

Adapted from the original recipe.

Ingredients List

  • Meat sauce:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 24 oz ground beef
  • 10 oz ground pork (or more beef)
  • 24 oz passata
  • 14 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 3 heaped tbsp tomato paste (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:
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup plain flour
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • To assemble:
  • 13 oz fresh lasagna sheets
  • 17 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

  1. Meat sauce: 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, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 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.
  4. White sauce: melt the butter, take off the heat and whisk in the flour for about 30 sec.
  5. Back on low heat, whisk in the milk a cup at a time until smooth, adding a splash more if it's too thick.
  6. Turn up to medium and cook, stirring, for 6-7 min until it coats the back of a spoon.
  7. Take off the heat, stir in the parmesan until melted and season.
  8. Heat the oven to 180 C fan (190 C conventional).
  9. Spread about 1 cup of meat sauce over the base of a 9x13 inch dish and cover with lasagna sheets, trimming to fit.
  10. Add about 2 cups of meat sauce and half the mozzarella, then another layer of sheets. Repeat, keeping some mozzarella back for the top.
  11. Finish with the rest of the meat sauce, then the white sauce, then the remaining mozzarella.
  12. Cover with foil and bake for 40 min, then uncover and bake 10-12 min more until golden.
  13. Scatter with parsley and rest for 10 min before slicing.

Notes & thoughts