Lasagne

Lasagne

A good lasagne should be a nice balance of pasta, meat and creamy béchamel. This one ticks all the boxes

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 45 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Put the carrot, celery, onions and pancetta in a small slug of olive oil in a large pan and cook gently for 10 minutes, or until the onion softens and the pancetta fat melts. Add the garlic and stir. Scoop the mixture onto a plate, leaving as much fat behind as possible. Put the pan back on the heat and add the beef mince, stir and fry until it is browned, then tip onto the plate again leaving behind the fat. Add the pork or veal mince and brown it in the same way. Tip the beef and veg back into the pan and add the white wine and bay leaf, bubble everything up and stir in the tomato purée. Add the tomatoes, season well and bring to a simmer. cover and cook for 45 minutes - after 35 minutes add the milk and leave the lid off. If the sauce is too thin, bubble it until it thickens a little. Season and remove the bay leaf.
  2. To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium pan and stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the milk a little at a time over a low heat and then bring the mixture to a simmer. Keep stirring and cooking until the béchamel thickens, then cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, add the bay leaf and stir every now and then. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then remove the bay leaf.
  3. Stir the basil into the meat sauce. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
  4. Spoon a thin layer of béchamel into the base of a large ovenproof dish, and add a couple of spoonfuls of meat sauce. Add a layer of lasagne sheets, a layer of béchamel, then meat and lasagne, and repeat with a little béchamel and the remaining meat and pasta. Pour the remaining béchamel over the top and scatter over the mozzarella and parmesan. Cook for 40 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. Sit for 10 mins before serving.
Try

Three other ways to use lasagne sauce

1. Use it to fill cannelloni tubes, cover with béchamel and cheese and bake. 2. Add a few chilli flakes to the meat as it cooks, layer in a dish with half-cooked macaroni, chopped cooked spinach and cheese, and bake until the macaroni is tender. 3. Use it to fill unsweetened pancakes, then put them in a baking dish, scatter with a little cheese and grill until warmed though and crisp.

Per serving

672 kcalories, protein 37g, carbohydrate 42.2g, fat 39.2 g, saturated fat 20.4g, fibre 3.4g, salt 1.76 g

Recipe from olive magazine, May 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Claire Jasmine

    29 April 2010

    Claire Jasmine rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    Celery in a lasagne? no no no no no. Lasagne isn't complete without roast butternut squash in the layers (a la Jamie Oliver...)

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  • Binder photo Munty

    01 May 2010

    Munty rated this recipe

    3 stars

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  • Binder photo nanah

    26 July 2010

    nanah commented on this recipe

    i didnt use celery as we dont like it,--try using about half teaspoon of yeast extract to make the sauce rich and tasty, my daughter adds a splash of balsamic vinegar to the sauce too.

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  • Binder photo SophieP

    09 September 2010

    SophieP rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Apart from the fact that this recipe makes a huge lasagne (I was able to get 8 portions from it) It tasted really delicious and I look forward to making it again. In fact even my Dad thought it was great and he doesn't really like pasta dishes with tomato!

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  • Binder photo mi4ence

    22 October 2010

    mi4ence rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    ok, I omitted the celery too :) sounds a bit akward (as well as butternut squash btw;)) put a spoon of dijon mustard though, in the bechamel, so i got the sour edge that was mentioned in the comments above. and i skipped the pancetta, added more beef instead. all the rest stayed the same, was awsome, the best thing was the fact there is just the right amount of sauces !

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  • Binder photo axf902

    26 November 2010

    axf902 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    made this for my boyfriend's birthday and we both loved it! am actually making it now; the meat sauce is currently simmering, am waiting to make the bechamel. I have used all beef instead of pork/veal (being a poor student restricts capacity to buy a variety of ingredients) and thought it was gorgeous!

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  • Binder photo Deborah

    05 December 2010

    Deborah rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Took quite a while to make but certainly well worth it!

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  • Binder photo Jellybean81

    10 January 2011

    Jellybean81 commented on this recipe

    I have to stick up for the celery here, if sliced finely it disappears and you're left with the yummy flavor. I also used some left over smoked bacon instead of the pancetta. This recipe is lush....try it :)

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  • Binder photo Jellybean81

    10 January 2011

    Jellybean81 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo caron

    11 March 2011

    caron rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is a great recipe and makes a brilliant lasagna, really lovely. I used all beef mince in mine but everthing else the same. A little time consuming so not a quick fix meal but well worth the effort.

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  • Binder photo diamond_sky

    08 June 2011

    diamond_sky rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Delicious! Threw a chilli & some spinach in, and it was a filling but light meal. Definitely do again.

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  • Binder photo madchefpj

    22 June 2011

    madchefpj rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    i used just beef mince for this recipe,left out the carrot and wine though,i also did some layers of courgette and de-seeded tomato slices and mushrooms to bulk it out for my 3 hungry children....went down a storm

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  • Binder photo Ians Recipes

    16 September 2011

    Ians Recipes commented on this recipe

    BEST Lasagne I've ever made, replaced the white wine for red though, also doubled up on the bechemel as found that it didnt quite go far enough. This is now a classic in our household!!

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  • Binder photo melanie

    26 November 2011

    melanie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is a lovely lasagne receipe, i also used red wine instead of white, the minced pork work's really well in this dish too, cooked for husband and friends, empty plates all round.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 45 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 1 carrot , finely chopped
  • 1 stick celery , finely chopped
  • 2 onions , finely chopped
  • 70g cubetti di pancetta
  • olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves , crushed
  • 250g minced beef
  • 250g minced veal or pork
  • 250ml white wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 100ml milk
  • 1 bunch basil , chopped
  • 6-9 sheets lasagne , depending on size
  • 1 ball mozzarella , chopped
  • 50g grated parmesan

FOR THE BECHAMEL

  • 100g butter
  • 80g flour
  • 850ml milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • nutmeg
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Per serving

672 kcalories, protein 37g, carbohydrate 42.2g, fat 39.2 g, saturated fat 20.4g, fibre 3.4g, salt 1.76 g

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