- 1 large onion
- 100 g pancetta optional, chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 400-500 g minced beef
- 2 tbsp marsala or 1 small glass of red wine
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes 400g sized cans
- 1/2 tsp each of dried rosemary please feel free to substitute which ones you prefer in, sage, thyme, basil and oregano
- Lots of freshly cracked black pepper
- Added veg – e.g. one can of sweetcorn a chopped pepper, a punnet of mushrooms, even as much as the same quantity in meat of frozen veg – add or subtract whatever you like)
- 1 large nob of butter about 2-3 tbsp
- Equivalent amount of plain flour about 2-3 tbsp
- 1 level tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 a nutmeg freshly grated
- Lots of black pepper
- Milk use at least semi skimmed or it will take too long to thicken and use enough to give you a velvety sauce; about 1 pint usually for me
- Chopped or grated cheese I use parmesan or cheddar et al depending on mood and availability; again as much or as little as you like – I go around 100g
- 1 pack of dried lasagne
- Worcestershire sauce
- More dried herbs and a pinch of sugar
- A packet of cherry tomatoes halved or 3-4 medium tomatoes sliced 2mm thick
- More cheese
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Heat the oil in a large casserole or saucepan. Add in the pancetta if using and render out it’s fat without caramelising it too much (keep the heat low and try to be patient!). If not using pancetta, add in the onions with a splash more oil and the bay leaves – cook until soften and translucent.
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Add in the grated/minced garlic and cook until you can just smell it – a minute or two. Add in the mince beef and cook until no pink remains and the fat has rendered down too.
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Add in the marsala and reduce by half, turning up the heat if necessary.
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Add in the tomato puree, the canned tomatoes and all the herbs. Add in about 100-125ml water which you swish around inside the empty tomato cans before adding to the pot.
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Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook low and slow as long as you can bare to wait – a few hours would be ideal; you can get away with one hour at a push. Don’t cover it – you want the liquid to bubble down and reduce to produce a thicker ragu. (If using canned veg, wait until the ragu is cooked to add it; if using frozen, add it 10 minutes before it is done; if using raw mushrooms, I would cook these with the beef).
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Once the ragu is almost ready, start on your white sauce.
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You will note my instructions are vague – I have never measured them and go by eye and texture. I would guess I use two rounded tbsp of butter and flour to “set” about a pint of milk but just go with it and you’ll be fine!
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Cook the butter, flour, mustard powder, black pepper and nutmeg together for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly to prevent it sticking or burning.
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Add in the milk, a splash at a time, whisking well to prevent lumps forming – think of it like making a risotto; you want each splash of milk to be absorbed before adding the next.
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Once all the milk is added, reduce the heat to simmer the sauce and cook, whisking gently for a few more minutes to evaporate off some more of the liquid component of the milk and thicken the sauce – now take off the heat and add in the prepared cheese, if using.
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To assemble it’s up to you – you can have few layers or pasta with deep, juicy layers of ragu or you can have many layers with lots more pasta. I prefer the latter these days.
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Whichever way you want to go it, I assemble my lasagne by spooning out a layer of ragu, topping with dried, uncooked pasta sheets then dribbling over a meagre amount of white sauce. I then sprinkle with some drops of Worcestershire sauce and repeat until all the components are used up.
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To finish, grate over more cheese, lay your sliced tomatoes on top, cut side up and sprinkle with the mixed herbs of your choice and for me, a teeny, tiny pinch of sugar just over the tomatoes to help caramelise them up as they cook.
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Pop your assembled lasagne in the centre of a preheated oven at 200°C for 40-45 minutes – you need the pasta cooked through, the tomatoes cooked and the cheese melting and starting to brown on top.
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Leave to stand (if you can bare it!) at least 20 minutes before serving as it will be blisteringly hot inside. Serve with a simple green salad dressed in balsamic vinegar and if your crew is as carb crazy as my Hungry Hubby, rosemary, garlic and sea salt focaccia on the side ;)
Stir through a large bunch of fresh basil into the ragu when it's cooked for a lighter, herbal note if you prefer rather than all the dried herbs.