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The best lasagne

The best lasagne

Martha Collison's traditional lasagne may take time, but this allows the flavour to develop. And it is worth the wait. 

4.5 out of 5 stars(10) Rate this recipe
  • Serves8
  • CourseMain meal
  • Prepare40 mins
  • Cook3 hrs 15 mins
  • Total time3 hrs 55 mins

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Ingredients

For the ragù

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, coarsely grated
  • 500g pack Essential 8% Fat British Pork Mince
  • 500g pack Essential 10% Fat British Beef Mince
  • 500ml Essential British Free Range Whole Milk
  • 500ml red wine
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 2 x 400g cans Essential Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1 sprig/s rosemary
  • 375g pack egg lasagne sheets (you might not need to use it all, depending on your dish)
  • 270g pack Essential Italian Mozzarella, drained and torn
  • 6 sage leaves

For the béchamel

  • 75g butter
  • 75g plain flour
  • 800ml Essential British Free Range Whole Milk
  • pinch grated nutmeg
  • 150g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in the largest casserole dish you have, add the celery and onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the carrots, then sauté the vegetables for 10-15 minutes more, or until softened and reduced down.

  2. Crumble the pork and beef mince into the pan and stir, breaking up any large chunks with a spoon, until browned all over. Pour in the 500ml milk, bring to a simmer, and leave to reduce for 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times during the process.

  3. Once the milk has reduced by ½ and the liquid in the pan is more like water than milk, add the wine, stock cube and tomatoes. Stir well, then pop in the rosemary, cover and simmer on a low heat for 2 hours. The longer you simmer, the more intense and complex the flavour will be. If still liquidy after 90 minutes, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes. You could also do this by putting the pan into a preheated oven at 200ºC, gas mark 6. The liquid will reduce down almost entirely, with just a small amount in the bottom. If it looks too dry, add a splash of water or stock.

  4. For the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the flour and whisk to a thick paste. Cook for 1 minute, whisking all the time, then begin to add the 800ml milk, a splash at a time. The mixture will thicken and become smooth. Stir in the nutmeg and ½ the cheese. Set aside, until ready to assemble.

  5. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Take a large oven dish, about 33x23cm and 5cm deep, and work out how many sheets of lasagne you need to create a layer (you might have to break a few sheets in ½ to cover it all). Begin by layering in ¼ of your ragù, then top with a layer of pasta. Spread it with a layer of béchamel, then repeat 3 more times, using 4 layers of pasta and all the ragù.

  6. Spread the remaining béchamel over the top of the final layer of pasta. Scatter with the mozzarella and remaining cheese. Brush the sage with a little oil and add to the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife cuts through the layers with little resistance. Allow to stand for 15 minutes (if you cut any sooner, the layers won’t hold together) before slicing and serving.

Cook’s tip

Angela uses 100g of tomato purée and only 200g of tinned tomatoes when making the ragù.

And to drink...

Waitrose Loved & Found Nerello Mascalese Rosé, an elegant and fragrant rosé from Italy with enticing aromas of Sicilian citrus and floral jasmine.

Waitrose Loved & Found Lacrima, a dark-skinned grape variety found almost exclusively in Italy's Le Marche region. Violet and pink pepper aromas lead to a dark berry palate. 

Nutritional

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe

Energy

2,917kJ/ 698kcals

Fat

35g

Saturated Fat

19g

Carbohydrates

39g

Sugars

16g

Fibre

4.6g

Protein

42g

Salt

1.3g

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