Ingredients
Method
- 2 large onions, peeled
- 2 large carrots, peeled
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 kg free-range lean beef mince
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ cup red wine (optional)
- 1x410g can tomato purée
- 1x410g can chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup good-quality beef stock
- 1 T tomato paste
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 300–400 g dried or fresh lasagne sheets, cooked and drained
- 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- paprika, for sprinkling
- 100 g breadcrumbs For the white sauce:
- 75 g butter
- 75 g flour
- 2 cups milk
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Finely chop the onions, carrots and garlic in a food processor, then soften in the olive oil over a low heat for 5 minutes without allowing them to colour.
Increase the heat to medium and add the mince. Brown, then add the thyme and red wine and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Stir through the tomato purée, canned tomatoes, beef stock, tomato paste and season to taste. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, then stir through the balsamic vinegar.
To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, and whisk into the flour mixture until smooth. Simmer for a further minute, stirring continually, and season to taste.
Place a layer of mince in the bottom of an ovenproof dish, then top with a layer of pasta and white sauce. Repeat until the dish is full, finishing with a layer of white sauce. Sprinkle over the Parmigiano Reggiano, paprika and breadcrumbs. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden.
Chef's note: “Lasagne is one of the best food gifts Italy has ever given the world. It’s my favourite pasta dish and this is a version of my Dad’s recipe that still honours its authenticity.”
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