Uncle Jay's Lasagne

The old family favourite has never tasted so good! This has become a firm favourite in my family, especially for my niece and nephew who insist I cook it for them whenever they come to visit - and they are guaranteed to always go back for seconds!

I have always been obsessed with Italian cooking and lifestyle, but the one thing that I've always loved, is how food will bring the whole family together. This old authentic Italian recipe will take you and your family right into the heart of Italy, and will leaving everyone craving more.

The meat is incredibly rich, and the béchamel sauce is sumptuously creamy - with the special ingredient of nutmeg kicking it off to a whole other level. The one thing I really hate is when people use sauce out of a jar! There is no need for it, yes it's easy, but you lose so much flavour and they're generally pumped full of sugar. Those demonic Dolmio puppets are really going to hate me, but this recipe will show you just how easy it is to make a delicious fresh sauce from scratch!

To serve, anything goes really, whatever your preference of sides is. Personally I choose to keep it simple with some greens or maybe a fresh salad and some delicious garlic bread.


Ingredients:

• 12 Lasagne sheets
• 50g Parmesan, (grated)
• 50g Salted butter, (cubed)
• Salt + Pepper

For the meat sauce:

• Olive oil, (5 tbsp)
• 1 Red onion, (finely chopped)
• 1 Large carrot, (peeled + finely chopped)
• 2 Celery sticks, (peeled + finely chopped)
• 500g Mince beef
• 2 Glasses of red wine
• 700ml Passata
• Tomato puree, (1 tbsp)
• Fresh basil, (roughly chopped)

For the béchamel sauce:

• 100g Salted butter
• 100g Plain flour
• 1 litre full-fat milk
• 50g Parmesan, (grated)
• Ground nutmeg, (2 tsp) 

Method:

1. Making the meat sauce - Heat the oil in a large pan. Once heated fry the onion, celery and carrot for 5 mins over a medium heat. 
2. Then add the beef mince and fry for 5 mins over a high heat.
3. Season the meat with salt + pepper then cook for a further 5 mins.
4. Pour in the red wine, stir and fry off the alcohol for 5 mins.
5. Add the passata, tomato puree and chopped basil, turn the heat to low and leave uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (Season after 30 mins)

 

1. Making the béchamel sauce - Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then using a balloon whisk stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. 
2. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook for 10 mins, whisking constantly.
3. Once thickened, stir in the grated parmesan and ground nutmeg, season and set aside for later.

 

1. Preparing the lasagne - Spread a 1/4 of the béchamel sauce in the bottom of a deep serving dish.
2. Lay 4 lasagne sheets on top.
3. Spread half the meat sauce over the pasta sheets,
4. Top with 1/3 of the remaining béchamel sauce.
5. Lay 4 more sheets on top.
6. Cover the pasta with the remaining meat sauce and spread evenly.
7. Spread with half the remaining béchamel sauce.
8. Lay the final layer of pasta sheets on top.
9. Spread over the remaining béchamel sauce.

 

1. Cooking the lasagne - Sprinkle with grated parmesan and cubed butter and grind over some black pepper to finish.
2. Cook in the oven at 180°C for 30 mins.
3. Turn the temperature up to 200°C and cook for further 15 mins.
4. Take out of oven and leave to cool for 5 mins.