Penne lasagne

Serves:

Ingredients

Pasta:

• 500g penne pasta
• 50g butter, melted
• half a cup parmesan, grated
• half a teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Meat sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 700g beef mince
• half a cup tomato paste
• half a cup white wine
• half a cup stock (I used chicken)
• half a cup parsley, chopped

White sauce:

• 100g butter
• half a cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• half a cup tasty cheese, grated

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and spray a 33 x 50cm lasagne dish with cooking spray and leave to one side.

To prepare the pasta:

Cook the pasta half way through (per packet instructions), strain and put back in the pot.

Add butter, parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

When cool add eggs, fold through and leave until needed.

To prepare the meat sauce:

Heat oil in a large frying pan on high heat.

When its hot add mince, using a spoon to break it up to separate, then add salt and pepper.

Brown the meat and continue cooking until all liquid is absorbed.

Add onions, garlic and bay leaves then saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add tomato paste, stirring to coat meat- cook for 5 minutes.

Add wine, followed by stock then simmer for a further 15 minutes.

Turn off heat, add parsley and leave to rest while you make the white sauce.

To prepare the white sauce:

In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat.

Add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Slowly add milk, whisking to prevent lumps.

Bring to the boil, season and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat.

To assemble lasagne:

Place half the pasta into lasagna dish and spread out evenly.

Add meat sauce, spreading to cover pasta.

Add remaining pasta followed by the white sauce.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 50 minutes.

Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

• I know this looks like a massive recipe but I have broken it down into sections so it is a little less daunting.
• This is a great dish to make on the weekend if you have free time- a family of four can get two meals out of one recipe.
• If wrapped in glad wrap, this will freeze really well.
• Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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