Lasagne

Lasagne gets its name from the wide, flat pasta sheets used in the dish. Originating from Naples, this traditional meal is not only an Italian classic, but a British family favourite too.

Traditional lasagne recipes include pancetta, which weâ€™ve included in ours. However this otherwise simple lasagne recipe has a tasty twist with the addition of chicken livers.

Ingredients:

450g/1lb lean beef mince
50g/2oz pancetta cubes or streaky bacon, finely chopped
50g/2oz chicken livers, roughly chopped
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 small sprig fresh thyme
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
300ml/1/2 pint good, hot beef stock
5ml/1tsp caster sugar
30ml/2tbsp tomato puree
100ml/3 1/2 floz good red wine
1 bay leaf
30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
5ml/1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the bechamel sauce:*
25g/1oz butter
25g/1oz plain flour
425ml/ 3/4 pint milk
75g/3oz grated hard cheese, e.g Cheddar
25g/1oz Parmesan cheese, grated
1 x 250g/9oz pack fresh lasagne sheets

Serves 4

Difficulty Rating:

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

180 mins

Instructions:

Heat a large non-stick pan and dry fry the mince with the pancetta and chicken livers for 3-4 minutes until brown, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon. Transfer to a large bowl. Pan fry the onion, garlic, celery and carrot in the same frying pan for 2-3 minutes.

Add the remaining ragu ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig.

Meanwhile, to make the cheese sauce. heat the butter in a non-stick pan until foaming and separately pre-heat the milk. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the flour. Then slowly add the milk, return to the heat and cook until thickened, stirring continuously. Add the cheese and season if required.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5, 190 deg C, 375 deg F. Place a layer of lasagne sheets in the base of a 25cm/10inch square ovenproof dish. Spoon half the ragu mixture over the pasta, then half the cheese sauce. Repeat with another layer of lasagne and ragu, then finish with a final layer of lasagne sheets and sauce. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and serve with a mixed salad and garlic bread.

Top tips for simple lasagne

BÃ©chamel sauce (or â€œwhite sauceâ€) is delicious, but can be fiddly. A top tip for cutting down prep time is to pre-heat your milk before adding it to the mixture.

You will want to avoid lumpy lasagne sauce, so make sure you remove the pan from heat when adding your flour, otherwise those lumps will be hard to dissolve!

As an alternative, if preferred, replace the lasagne sheets with corn tortillas or wraps and cook at Gas Mark 7, 220Â°C, 425Â°F. for 15-20 minutes.

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Lasagne

Top tips for simple lasagne

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