Lasagne

My childhood signature dish!  The first dish that I mastered and my family still love it now.

It takes a little time to make the ragu, so I usually make this well in advance.  It’s well worth the patience giving the bolognaise the time to cook and develop its flavours.  Total cooking time is 3 hours, which includes time to prep your ingredients.  You can make the white sauce whilst the ragu is cooking, that will only take ten minutes.

Ragu Ingredients (serves 6)

• 60g butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
  

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• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 tbsp
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
  

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• 500g beef mince
• 50g pancetta, diced (2-3 rashers streaky bacon is a good substitute)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
  

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• 250ml red wine
• 500ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400ml tinned tomatoes
• generous amount salt & pepper
• lasagne sheets (I prefer to work with fresh lasagne)

Method

1. Start by preparing the ingredients. Chop the onion and set aside. Then prepare the garlic, carrot and celery and pop them together in one bowl.
2. Melt the butter on a medium heat in a large lidded saucepan.  Fry the onion for 2 – 3 minutes until soft and then add the garlic, celery and carrot.  Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Increase the heat and add the pancetta, beef mince and oregano and cook until all of the mince has browned.
4. Reduce the heat back to medium and add in the red wine and simmer for 4-5 minutes until most of the liquid has absorbed.  Then add the stock, tomatoes, tomato puree and season well.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours with the lid on.  Stir the sauce from time to time to prevent it from catching.
6. After 1 1/2 hours, uncover the pan and continue to cook for another hour until you have a rich and robust ragu, which you can serve with pasta or go on to make the lasagane.

Bechamel Ingredients

• 70g butter
• 80g plain flour
• 700ml milk
• 150g strong cheddar, grated (reserve a handful for the topping)
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a large pan and as it starts to foam add the flour.  Cook out the flour for a good 3-4 mins to give it that lovely nutty flavour.  Keep stirring continiously.
2. Roll your sleeves up, make sure you’re wearing an apron and get ready for hardcore stirring action!  I use a sturdy wooden spoon.
3. Start by adding a splash of milk, it’s crucial that you keep stirring to avoid your sauce going lumpy.  You can beat the lumps out, so it’s not a disaster.
4. Continue to gradually add the milk, stirring as you go, until you get a smooth sauce.
5. Add the grated cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.  At this point I take it off of the heat and the cheese will melt in creating that delicious glossy white sauce.

Tip – Use your judgement with the sauce.  If you think it needs more milk, add some more.  If it’s too loose, add more cheese as that will thicken it again.  You’re aiming for a thick consistency that will hold the lasagne.

Building the lasagne

Pre heat the oven to 180°

1. Choose a lasagne dish with high sides.  Start with the ragu, enough to cover the bottom.
2. Add a layer of pasta, over lapping each sheet slightly, if using fresh pasta you can cut the sheets to fit the dish.
3. Next add a layer of the white sauce.  Be sparing at the layering stage with this and save the largest amount for the top so that you have plenty for the final layer.
4. Repeat the process 2 – 3 times, depending on the size and depth of your dish.
5. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar (I like to mix in some gouda or emental to help the topping brown) and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
6. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with grated Parmesan and a sprig of basil.