Cheesy Lasagne
Donal's Notes
I cry a little bit inside when I see ready meal lasagnes cut in brick-like wedges, ready for the microwave. A really good lasagne is truly a thing of beauty and should be treated as such. They take time, effort and love and the end result should be layers of rich meat sauce, creamy white sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. There are many different variations on this classic and this one features a rich white sauce which adds a wonderful dimension to the dish.
For the cheese sauce:
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Grater
Large frying pan
Medium saucepan
Whisk
High-sided 27.5 x 20cm baking dish
Instructions
1
First, do a little prep for the meat sauce. Roughly chop the rashers. Using a clean chopping board, peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
2
Peel and coarsely grate the carrot. Finely chop the mushrooms. Pick a handful of basil leaves and roughly chop.
3
Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the beef mince and fry for 2–3 minutes until browned. Remove the mince from the pan and set aside on a plate.
4
Heat the rest of the oil in the frying pan, then add the bacon and fry for about 2 minutes until cooked through. Add the onion and garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes, then stir in the carrot and mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes more.
5
Return the mince to the pan with the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, red wine and oregano. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste, then stir through the basil.
6
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. To make the cheese sauce, grate the cheddar cheese and parmesan and set aside.
7
Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour quickly so you have a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the milk a little at a time and bring the sauce to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce becomes thick.
8
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the cheeses (saving a little of the Cheddar for sprinkling on the top) and the English mustard.
9
Spoon a layer of the Bolognese into a high-sided baking dish, followed by a layer of the cheese sauce then top with a layer of lasagne sheets.
10
Repeat the process until the Bolognese and cheese sauces are used up, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle the reserved cheddar over the top and bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes until the lasagne is bubbling and browned on top.
11
Season to taste and serve straight to the table topped with a little more fresh basil.
