Lasagne
I feel like my siblings’ list of favourite meals changes almost every week, but one meal that always features on their list is lasagne. I remember eating my grandma’s lasagne. It was absolutely delicious, the only problem is, I could never eat lasagne at restaurants again, because theirs never tasted as good as my grandmas! But when I was a bit older I watched her make it to her recipe and, according to my family, I’ve done a pretty good job of replicating it, and adding my own little twist. I get plenty of practice too, so I am forever honing my recipe!
I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does 🙂
Serves 6-9
Ingredients
12-16 sheets lasagne (depending on how big your dish is and how many you’re cooking for)
150g cheese, grated (you can add more or less cheese)
Tomato sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
approx. 750g beef mince
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp flour
Splash of red wine (optional)
750g passata (or x2 cans chopped tomatoes)
1 tsp loose beef/veg stock (or 1 cube)
1 tsp dried oregano (or basil)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2-3 tsp sugar
Salt, pepper, to taste
BĂ©chamel sauce:
50g butter
50g flour
750 ml milk
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt, pepper, to taste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Turn heat up to high and add the mince, cooking until fully browned. Add the minced garlic, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the flour, stirring to distribute evenly. If using the red wine, add to the pan now, then add the tomato passata, herbs, stock, sugar, vinegar and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and leave to one side while you make the béchamel sauce (white sauce).
2. In a separate saucepan melt butter, add flour and cook for one minute. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly until all the milk is used and the sauce has thickened. Add a pinch of nutmeg and season generously with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Now it’s time to layer everything! Start by covering the bottom of your ovenproof dish with a thin layer of tomato meat sauce. Add three- four sheets lasagne (depending on your dish size – I have a really nice, big rectangle Pyrex dish which fits four lasagne sheets!), then a layer of bĂ©chamel sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat with two more layers of meat sauce, lasagne sheets, bĂ©chamel sauce and cheese, then finish with a thin layer of meat sauce, bĂ©chamel sauce and cheese (you can use up your sauces now – you just need a thin layer of sauce on top to make sure the pasta cooks properly).
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40min, until bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is nicely browned. I also like to poke a knife in to make sure the pasta is cooked and soft. Serve with cooked veg or a fresh leafy salad (and garlic bread with a glass of red wine for the full restaurant experience!)
Notes/tips:
– Lasagne can be very easily frozen or stored in the fridge overnight, so feel free to make the full amount and reheat the next day, or freeze whatever you don’t need for another time. To reheat, cover the dish with tin foil and place in a hot oven for 20-25 min, until completely heated through and bubbling.
– You could use cheddar, mozzarella or gouda in this recipe. A little bit of parmesan would add a really nice depth of flavour as well.
