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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 180 Minutes |
Ready In: 210 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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This is pretty much how lasagna gets made in Australia, usually no cottage cheese or ricotta. I have been making it this way for over 30 years, but can't find a similar recipe on here yet. I find it easier to make the beef sauce the day before, and reheat it a little, but I like to use the cheese sauce hot and freshly made. This mix fills a tray 12x8x3 for me, and I find it easier to cut through the top layer with kitchen scissors before taking to it with a knife to cut into serving portions. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil |
1 large onion, finely diced |
2 slices bacon, chopped |
2 garlic cloves, minced |
600 g beef mince, leanest you can buy |
1 (140 g) can tomato paste |
1/2 cup red wine |
1 (440 g) can chopped tomatoes, and their juice |
2 cups beef broth |
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano |
1/2 teaspoon dried basil |
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme |
1 pinch mixed pumpkin spice or 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg |
50 g butter |
50 g flour |
600 ml milk |
50 g shredded parmesan cheese |
salt and pepper |
1 (250 g) packet instant lasagna sheets |
50 g shredded parmesan cheese |
Directions:
1. Meat Sauce: Heat the oil in a large fry pan over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion and bacon and cook until the onion is golden and tender.
3. Add the minced garlic and cook a couple of minutes more.
4. Add the mince and cook, breaking up with a fork, until the meat has all changed colour.
5. Now add the tomato paste and cook it out for another minute or two before adding the wine.
6. Allow the wine to reduce a little, before adding the remaining sauce ingredients.
7. Simmer until reduced and thickened and a deep rich red/ brown.
8. *You could call this cooked in 30 minutes, but I like to let it simmer about 2 hours, stirring regularly to make sure it's not catching.
9. Add a little more broth or water if it looks like doing so.
10. Cheese Sauce:.
11. Melt the butter, add the flour and stir well.
12. Allow to cook gently for about 2 minutes, then add the milk all in one go, and whisk briskly until heated and thickened.
13. Allow to cook a couple of minutes more on a simmer.
14. Add the cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Assembly of the lasagna:.
16. Spread a little of the beef sauce across the bottom of your pan.
17. Cover with a layer of beef sauce and drizzle about half a cup of cheese sauce over this-no need to be too particular.
18. Cover with a layer of lasagna sheets.
19. Repeat the beef sauce and cheese sauce two more times, then a final layer of sheets.
20. Spread the remaining cheese sauce (there should be about 1 cup) over the last layer of sheets, and sprinkle with the shredded parmesan cheese.
21. Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour.
22. Allow to stand about 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
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