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I'm sure everyone has their own favourite recipe for lasagne. Still, I include mine for those who haven't found one yet. I firmly believe that it tastes much better when cooked in a heavy ceramic dish such as Le Creuset - the edges of the lasagne tend to go crispy and give it extra texture and flavour.
SERVES 4 Preparation Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes stove top + 40 minutes in oven |
| 1 1/2 lb beef mince | 1 tblsp sugar |
| 1 large onion, chopped | 1 teasp english mustard |
| 2 large garlic cloves, crushed | 1 tblsp concentrated tomato puree |
| 1 large tin chopped tomatoes | 8 lasagne sheets |
| 2 beef stock cubes | For the sauce: |
| 1 tblsp malt vinegar | 2 heaped tblsp butter |
| 1 tblsp oregano | 2 heaped tblsp flour |
| 2 bay leaves | 3/4 pint milk |
| 1 cup water | Grated nutmeg |
| 1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated |
Heat a little cooking oil in a large pan and gently fry the onions until translucent. Add the mince and fry until cooked. Drain off any excess oil.
Add all the ingredients apart from the lasagne sheets and those for the sauce. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes to let the flavours meld together.
Heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and stir continously for a couple of minutes to make a roux - do not let it burn. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk a little at a time, again stirring all the while to prevent any lumps forming.
Return the pan to the heat and stir continuously until the sauce has thickened up nicely. Add the nutmeg and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted.
In an ovenproof dish, (Le Creuset is my preferred choice), start with a layer of mince, then 2 lasagne sheets side by side, then cheese sauce. Repeat this 3 more times. Grate a little more cheese on the top, cover the dish with tinfoil and put in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the top has gone brown and crispy.
Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve with a green salad.