Beef Lasagne
Photography Josh Griggs.
It’s a classic and for good reason. Nothing beats a bubbling, golden dish of meat ragù with a creamy cheesy sauce and blistered tomatoes.
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
Ragù
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, grated
2 teaspoons dried oregano
sea salt and ground pepper
500 grams beef mince
500 grams pork mince
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon each tomato paste, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 cups beef stock
2 x 400-gram tins crushed tomatoes
Béchamel
50 grams butter
⅓ cup plain flour
2¾ cups whole milk
1 cup grated parmesan
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
To assemble
375 grams fresh lasagne sheets
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
7 vine tomatoes
parmesan for grating
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
Ragù: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion, carrot and oregano with a good pinch of salt for 15 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the minces and garlic and cook until there’s no pink left in the meat, breaking it up with a spoon into small pieces.
Stir in the tomato paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire and soy sauces then sprinkle over the flour and combine. Cook for 2 minutes then stir in the stock and tomatoes and season well. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Béchamel: Melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then whisk in the milk in 3 lots until smooth. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes until thick and glossy. Stir in the parmesan and nutmeg and season generously.
To assemble: Spread a thin layer of béchamel in the base of a large ovenproof dish or sauté pan then cover with lasagne sheets, bringing them up the side of the dish. Spoon over half each of the beef ragù, grated mozzarella and the béchamel. Repeat to make one more layer. Place the tomatoes on top and grate over a layer of parmesan.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife will easily slide through the layers and the top is bubbling and golden. Leave for 15 minutes before serving.
Cook’s note: The beef ragù can be made 3 days ahead and the béchamel, 2 days ahead of assembling and baking.
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