Lasagne

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Ingredients

For the meat sauce

  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 4 RSPCA Assured streaky bacon rashers, chopped
  • 300g RSPCA Assured minced beef
  • 200g RSPCA Assured minced pork
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 300ml red wine or beef stock
  • 700ml passata
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

For the white sauce

  • 50g salted butter
  • 50g plain flour
  • 500ml cold, full-fat milk
  • 75g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ freshly grated nutmeg

To assemble

  • 12 fresh lasagne sheets, each about 10 x 18cm
  • 1 x 125g ball mozzarella, drained and ripped
Method

For the meat sauce

  • First, make the meat sauce. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
  • Cook the onion, carrot and celery for five minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the bacon and minced beef, pork and garlic. Cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring constantly until the meat is coloured all over. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour in the wine or stock, stir well and cook for five minutes until the alcohol has evaporated. Add the passata, tomato purée and oregano. Lower the heat and cook, uncovered, for one hour, stirring occasionally, until you get a beautiful rich sauce. Season to taste.
  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC/fan 160°C/gas 4.

For the white sauce

  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for one minute until it becomes light brown in colour.
  • Gradually whisk in the milk. Lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes, whisking constantly.
  • Once thickened, stir in 50g of parmesan cheese and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.

To assemble and bake

  • Spread a quarter of the cheese sauce in the bottom of a deep ovenproof dish measuring about 25 x 25cm.
  • Lay four lasagne sheets on top, cutting the sheets to fit if necessary.
  • Spread half the meat sauce over the pasta, top with a third of the remaining cheese sauce.
  • Lay four more sheets of lasagne on top and cover with the remaining meat sauce.
  • Spread over half the remaining cheese and top with a final layer of lasagne sheets.
  • Gently spread the rest of the cheese sauce on top, making sure that you completely cover the pasta.
  • Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining parmesan cheese.
  • Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Switch the oven off and leave the lasagne in the oven for 15 minutes. 
  • Take out of the oven and set the dish aside to rest for 10 minutes before serving – this makes it much easier to slice.
  • Serve with garlic bread and a crisp salad.
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