RECIPE: LASAGNA
PREPARATION TIME: 30m to 1h
COOKING TIME: over 2 hours
SERVES: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE RAGU’:
4 teaspoon ok olive oil;
4 celery sticks, finely chopped;
2 carrots, finely chopped;
1 medium onion, finely chopped;
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed;
1 spring rosemary;
700g beef mince;
340g pork mince;
750ml red wine;
2x400g cans tomatoes, roughly chopped;
200ml beef stock.
FOR THE BECHAMEL SAUCE:
1l whole milk;
2 bay leaves;
¼ onion;
Nut meg;
50g butter;
50g plain flour.
FOR THE LASAGNE:
14 sheets fresh lasagna pasta;
3x125g balls mozzarella, cut into small cubes;
Small handfun grated parmesan;
2 teaspoon butter.
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. For the ragù, heat the olive oil in a frying pen over a low heat and fry the celery, carrots and onion for approximately 15 minutes, until softened and golden. Add the garlic and rosemary and fry for two more minutes.
3. Add the beef and pork mince and cook until the liquid from the meat has been absorbed.
4. Pour in approximately 400ml of red wine and stir well. Cook for approximately 45 minutes.
5. Once the wine has evaporated, add the tomatoes and stock. Leave the mixture uncovered to cook slowly for two hours. Top up with more warm stock if necessary. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
6. To make the béchamel sauce, place the milk in a large non-stick saucepan, add the bay leaves, onion and nutmeg and gently bring to the boil.
7. In a separate saucepan melt the butter and add the flour. Beat well and cook for two minutes. Remove the milk from the heat and add a little to the flour mixture. Combine well, and when all the milk has been absorbed, add a little more. Continue to do this until all the milk has been added, whisking continually.
8. For the lasagna, blanch the pasta in salted boiling water for three minutes. Spoon a third of the béchamel sauce into the bottom of a lasagna dish in a layer, then place some of the ingredients have been used up. Don’t knobs of butter over the surface and cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and completely cooked through.