Baked lasagna Recipe

This is the classic lasagna - rich meat sauce and lightly spiced béchamel layered with pasta sheets and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

450 g/ 1 lb
115g/ 4 oz/ 1 cup
25 g/ 1 oz

For the Bolognese Sauce:
60 ml/ 4 tbsp
1
2
1
1
1
350 g/ 12 oz
350 ml/ 12 fl oz
400 g/ 14 oz
1

For the Bechamel Sauce:
750 ml/ 1 1/4 pints/ 3 2/3 cups
1
3
115 g/ 4 oz/ 1/2 cup
75 g/ 3 oz/ 3/4 cup
 

no precook lasagna
grated Parmesan cheese
buter

olive oil
onion, finely chopped
streaky bacon rashers, chopped
carrot, finely chopped
celery stalk, finely chopped
garlic clove, crushed
minced beef
red wine
can chopped tomatoes
bay leaf

milk
bay leaf
mace blades
butter
plain flour
salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. To make the Bolognese sauce: Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan, add the onion and cook over a gentle heat for 5 minutes. Add the bacon, carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

2. Stir in the minced beef and cook until browned. Add the wine, tomatoes and bay leaf and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes.

3. To make béchamel sauce: Heat the milk with the bay leaf and mace until almost boiling, then leaves to stand for 15 minutes. Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Strain in the milk, whisking all the time, bring to the boil, still whisking, and cook until thickened. Season to taste.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 ^oC/ 400 ^oF/ Gas 6. Spread a little Bolognese sauce in an ovenproof dish. Arrange two or three sheets of lasagna on top, cover with Bolognese sauce and then béchamel, then sprinkle with a little of the Parmesan.

5. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and dot with butter. Bake for 20-30 minutes until well browned and bubbling. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot.

SERVES 8-10

 

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