The Ultimate Beef Lasagne Recipe
A flavour powerhouse of a beef lasagne, cooked low and slow.
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Ingredients
- 200 grams smoked pancetta diced
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 500 grams beef mince
- 150 ml red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
- 500 grams passata
- 250 grams chestnut mushrooms
- 1 beef stock cube
- 50 grams butter
- 50 grams plain flour
- 1.5 pints milk
- 80 grams grated parmesan
- 300 grams lasagne sheets dried
Instructions
- Put the diced pancetta in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook gently for 5 minutes until the fat has begun to melt out and the pancetta has started to turn golden.
- Peel the onion and dice. Peel and chop the garlic. Add to the pancetta pan and cook for another minute.
- Add the mince. Cook for another five minutes until the meat is starting to brown.
- Tip in the red wine, bay leaf, oregano and thyme. Stir, then allow to reduce down by half.
- Pour in the passata and 200ml water. Add the beef stock cube. Chop the mushrooms into 1cm chunks and add them too.
- Turn the heat down to low and cook gently, uncovered, for at least an hour, stirring every ten minutes.
- To make the bechamel, put the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. When it is melted, add the flour. Use a whisk to combine them, then turn off the heat.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking all the time. When all the milk has been added, turn the heat back on to medium. Continue to whisk as the sauce thickens, until it is as thick as Greek yoghurt. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
- When you are ready to cook the lasagne, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Take a large ovenproof dish and put one ladleful of the beef sauce at the bottom. Spread it evenly over the surface.
- Cover this with an even layer of lasagne sheets. Top with half of the remaining beef sauce, then another layer of lasagne sheets.
- Add half of the bechamel and spread evenly. Top with another layer of lasagne sheets, then the remaining beef sauce. Add a final layer of lasagne sheets, then top with the remaining bechamel. Spread so that it creates an even layer over the entire top surface. Sprinkle over the Parmesan.
- Put in the oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
