Ingredients
- about 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onion, finely chopped
- 8 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 680 g lean minced beef
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 600 ml Brown Stock (see page 452) For the meat sauce
- 60 g plain flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 45 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 1bay leaf
- 600 ml full-fat milk
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 8 lasagne sheets (preferably green) or 140 g Green Pasta (see page 489)
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1
To make the meat sauce, heat the oil in a small pan.
- 2
Stir in the onion, cover with a piece of greaseproof paper and a lid and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes.
- 3
Remove the lid and the paper, stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- 4
Set aside.
- 5
2 In a sauté pan heat enough oil to cover the bottom thinly.
- 6
Brown the minced beef in two or three batches, deglazing with the wine in between batches.
- 7
Return the browned meat to the sauté pan and sprinkle over the flour.
- 8
Cook, stirring over medium heat, for a couple of minutes to cook the flour.
- 9
4 Stir in the stock, deglaçage, parsley, marjoram, cinnamon and tomato purée.
- 10
Season, then turn the heat down so that the mixture just simmers.
- 11
Cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender.
- 12
Allow to cool to room temperature.
- 13
To make the cream sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan.
- 14
Remove from the heat and stir in the flour to make a smooth paste.
- 15
Add the bay leaf then return to the heat and cook,
- 16
stirring, for i minute.
- 17
Remove from the heat.
- 18
Gradually stir in the milk to make a smooth sauce then return to the heat.
- 19
Bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
- 20
Simmer for 2 minutes.
- 21
Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- 22
Remove the bay leaf.
- 23
If the lasagne is being prepared in advance, allow to cool to room temperature.
- 24
Cook the pasta, if required, according the manufacturer's instructions.
- 25
Otherwise, roll out the fresh pasta and cut into rectangles measuring about 20 x 10 cm.
- 26
Place a thin layer of the meat sauce in an ovenproof lasagne dish.
- 27
Cover with a layer of pasta then spoon over a layer of meat sauce.
- 28
Cover with a layer of cream sauce.
- 29
Continue layering in this order finishing with a layer of pasta, then cream sauce.
- 30
Sprinkle over the Parmesan.
- 31
To bake, heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark s.
- 32
Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbling and well browned on top.