How to make… the perfect Lasagne with Sue Ashworth
Recipes

How to make… the perfect Lasagne with Sue Ashworth

Added extras Leafy Italian Salad A fresh green salad makes the ideal accompaniment. Simply combine mixed leaves with a few...

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 500g lean minced beef 
  • 1 onion, chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 1 tbsp Italian mixed dried herbs 
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 
  • A small amount salt and freshly ground black pepper 
  • 6-8 lasagne sheets 
  • 500ml milk 
  • 40g plain flour 
  • 25g butter 
  • 150g mature Cheddar cheese, grated 
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated 

Method

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, then over a high heat add the minced beef a handful at a time – don’t stir it too much, as it needs to sear. This is important as it helps seal and brown the meat to give a good flavour. A frying pan works well, as the meat browns more easily over the larger surface area.
  2. Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan with the dried herbs. Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, then add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes without a lid, so that the liquid reduces to give you a rich, meaty tomato sauce. Season. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
  3. The easiest way to make a smooth white sauce is by the all-in-one method. Simply put the milk, flour and butter into a non-stick saucepan (it will look impossible at this stage) then heat gently, whisking constantly with a silicone-coated wire whisk until the sauce boils and thickens. Turn down the heat to low and cook gently for another minute, still stirring all the time.
  4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add half the grated cheese. Stir thoroughly (you can use a wooden spoon now) so that the heat of the sauce melts the cheese – there’s no need to return it to the hob. Cheese can go stringy if it’s melted over a high heat, so this is the best method. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Spoon half the mince mixture into a large rectangular baking dish and spread it evenly over the base. Cover with half the lasagne sheets. If the lasagne sheets are a bit too large, you can snip them close to the edge with a pair of scissors to trim them a little to fit. Depending on the size of your dish, you may need 3 or 4 lasagne sheets here.
  6. Spoon over half the cheese sauce and spread over the lasagne sheets with the back of a wooden spoon. Now repeat the layers of meat mixture, lasagne sheets and cheese sauce once more, spreading the sauce evenly over the top.
  7. Finally, sprinkle the remaining Cheddar evenly over the surface, then finish off with the grated Parmesan. This combination of cheeses works really well to give a great flavour, though you could just use mature Cheddar if you prefer. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on the surface. Leave for 10 minutes to settle a little, so that it’s easier to serve.