Lasagne

 

 for pasta 

Homemade Pasta Dough (click here)

for ragu  

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

75g diced pancetta

500g beef mince or pork mince, or a mix of both

100ml white wine

400ml passata

 

for white sauce

 

Grated nutmeg

50g butter

50g plain flour

50g grated Parmesan

600ml milk

 

Take your rested pasta dough, divide up then run each piece through a pasta machine three times on its thickest setting, then gradually reduce down the width till its about 2mm thick.

Cut your pasta sheets into rectangle, same size as bought lasagna sheets and then flour each sheet well and stack on a plate. Once done rest in the fridge till needed.

 

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan and gently fry the onion until softened. Add the carrot and continue to cook for 5 minutes, then add the celery and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn up the heat, add the mince and cook until browned all over.

 

Add the wine and passata, season, then bring to a simmer. Cover partially, turn the heat down, and leave to simmer gently for 2 to 4 hours.

 

Pre-heat the oven to 200 centigrade/Gas mark 8.

 

Now make your white sauce. Melt the butter in a pan, and then whisk in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, then gradually whisk in the milk, and bring to the boil, still stirring. then melt in the Parmesan. Season and simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.

 

To assemble the lasagne, take a deep, wide dish and coat the bottom with pasta sheets, then with a layer of ragu, spoon over some white sauce. Then cover with pasta sheets again and repeat till your dish is almost full to the top, finishing with a layer of pasta sheets then  topped with white sauce and a sprinkling of grated mozzarella and Parmesan.

 

Place in oven and cook for 40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

 

Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

 

Remember lasagne is better warm than hot, and even better the next day.