Equipment
- Lasange size baking dish
- 3 saucepans (1 large)
- Hunger but patience
Ingredients
Bechamel
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour (sieved)
- 4 cups (1L) milk
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (70g) parmesan
- 1 tsp salt and black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500g beef mince
- 500g pork mince
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 125ml oz red wine
- 500g (1 pack) passata
- 450ml beef stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Topping
Choose whatever you want here. Just keep in mind cheddar toasts a little different than some cheeses. Use foil if using more cheddar to stop it burning.
- Grated mozzarella
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Grated parmesan
Method
Ragu
- Pour olive oil into a large pan
- Pop in onions, carrots and garlic
- Saute until onions are slightly softened but not coloured
- Pop in the minces and passata, break up any lumps of beef
- Incorporate the mix well, cooking until mince starts to colour
- Pour in the red wine and stock, bring to a simmer
- Cook for at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours (can be made a day in advance either)
- Stir every now and then to avoid any base sticking
- Star the Bechamel whilst this is simmering away
Make Bechamel
- In one saucepan, heat the milk to a light simmer but do not allow to boil
- Whilst heating, in another saucepan, plop the butter in, bring to a sizzle
- Whisk in the flour bit by bit forming a roux
- Then pour in 50-100ml of milk at a time, whisking vigorously, break up any clumps
- Once all milk has been incorporated, keep stirring for about 10-15 minutes
- Done when it has enough viscosity to remain stuck to the back of a spoon
- Turn off the heat and leave aside for later
Assembly
You can break pasta sheets into smaller segments to finish off awkward edges. You can place sheets into the dish as its empty to get a sense of how it will fit. Just make a slice in the sheet when you know your measurements and it should snap easily where sliced.
Not all baking dishes are the same size, neither all pasta sheets. My Pyrex dish tapers in top to bottom slightly so this is a bit hit and miss.
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Slightly grease your dish with a little olive oil (prevents the sections catching to the edges later)
- First layer should be a ragu
- Next place a layer of pasta sheets, getting as close to edges as possible
- Next a layer of white sauce (can put some parmesan at this point but not required)
- Next a layer of ragu
- Next another layer of pasta sheets
- Next a layer of white sauce
- Finish off with whatever toppings you prefer
- Bake for 40-50m, keeping an eye on the cheese, browning but not burnt
- Let cool for a minute and start dishing out some layered happiness
