Easy lasagne recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

Bolognese sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1kg beef mince
• 125ml red wine
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 x 400g tins Italian diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp dried Italian herb mix
• 12 (375g) fresh lasagne sheets
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Cheese sauce

• 1.5L milk
• 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
• 6 parsely stalks
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 90 g butter
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, finely grated
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Method

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and add the brown onion and garlic. Fry until translucent and then add the mince.

Use a wooden spoon to break up the mince and when the meat is browned, add the tomato paste and red wine. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the tomatoes and Italian herb mix. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the milk, onion, parsley stalks, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and remove from heat. Set aside for 15 minutes and then drain and discard solids.

Heat the oven to 190°C or 170C fan-forced. Set aside a 3L rectangular casserole dish.

In a saucepan, over a medium heat, melt the butter and then add the flour. Stir until the mixture begins to boil and then cook without browning for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes until the mixture thickens and then whisk in the parmesan cheese until well combined. Whisk in the nutmeg and salt and pepper and remove from heat.

To assemble, ladle 1 cup of meat sauce into the casserole dish and and then layer lasagne sheets to cover the base. Using one third of the remaining meat sauce, cover the lasagne sheets and then pour over one third of the cheese sauce, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon. Repeat this layering process until both meat and cheese sauces are used up. Finish with a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the mozzarella and bake for 40-45 minutes until brown on top and bubbling at the sides.

Leave to sit for 10 minutes after removing from oven before cutting and serving with a green salad.

More pasta recipes:

• Chorizo pasta
• Chicken and bacon fettucine
• Curtis Stone’s fettucine bolognaise
• Ear pasta with peas and bacon
• Chicken lasagne
• Sage butter gnocchi

Serving Suggestions

Note

• I like to make a double batch of this recipe and freeze the second tray after baking.
• You really need to whisk that cheese sauce well so you don’t get any lumps.
• This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.