Directions
- 1Finely dice the carrots.
- 2Finely dice the celery.
- 3Finely chop the garlic.
- 4Add olive oil to a stockpot.
- 5Chuck in the mince and leave it alone to sear off on a high heat until it develops a beautiful crust.
- 6Break up the mince once it has developed a beautiful crust.
- 7Add tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, and garlic to the seared mince, cooking until the moisture has evaporated.
- 8Add the diced celery, onions, and carrots to the pot.
- 9Add dried Italian herbs and chili flakes to the mixture.
- 10Close the lid and let the veggies sweat down for about 15 minutes until they are soft and translucent.
- 11Add cumin, coriander, and chili powder to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, sautéing on medium heat.
- 12Add tinned tomatoes and passata to the pot.
- 13Add one can's worth of water to the sauce.
- 14Close the lid and let the sauce simmer on a low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
- 15Melt butter in a separate pan for the béchamel sauce.
- 16Add plain flour to the melted butter and cook for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning.
- 17Turn the heat down, add 1 cup of milk, and whisk until lumps are gone.
- 18Add another cup of milk and whisk again, then add the remaining milk.
- 19Turn the heat up to medium, constantly whisking until the béchamel sauce is thick, similar in consistency to hot custard.
- 20Season the béchamel sauce with salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg.
- 21Add chopped fresh parsley and dried oregano to the meat sauce.
- 22Spread a little bit of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent the pasta sheets from sticking.
- 23Place the fresh pasta sheets over the meat sauce.
- 24Spread a layer of meat sauce over the pasta sheets.
- 25Drizzle béchamel sauce over the meat layer.
- 26Add another layer of pasta sheets.
- 27Add another layer of meat sauce.
- 28Add a generous layer of béchamel sauce on top.
- 29Top with freshly shredded cheese.
- 30Prepare the garlic bread by adding fresh chopped garlic, parmesan cheese, black pepper, and fresh parsley to melted butter, then mix well.
- 31Slice a baguette diagonally and spread the garlic butter mixture into the cuts.
- 32Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes uncovered.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg beef or lamb mince
- 2 large or 3 medium onions
- 2 medium sized carrots
- 2 sticks celery
- 15 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tins plum tomatoes
- 500 g passata
- 1 large or 2 small bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1.5 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 0.5 tsp chilli powder
- 200 g freshly shredded cheese
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella
- 1 large handful Fresh parsley and coriander
- 100 g butter
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tiny pinch nutmeg
Equipment
stock potknifecutting boardbowlpanwhiskspatulabaking dishfoilmortar and pestle
Tips
- For fresh lasagna sheets, bake uncovered at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.
- For dry lasagna sheets, cover with foil for the first 25 minutes to prevent sticking, then remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before serving to keep the layers intact.
- To prevent a "gamey" smell from minced meat, sear it on high heat until it develops a crust before breaking it up, and then add tomato paste and salt.
- Do not skip out on garlic, as it makes the world a better place.
- For the sauce, it is crucial to let it simmer for at least one to two hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
- Do not use pre-shredded cheese as it contains anti-caking agents and doesn't melt properly.
- To achieve an ooey-gooey cheesy top, leave a large amount of béchamel for the end and top with freshly shredded cheese and a ball of fresh mozzarella.
- The recipe uses spices that are complementary rather than overwhelming.
- For the béchamel, do not overcook it as it will thicken in the oven; cook it until it has a consistency similar to hot custard.
- Add fresh herbs at the end of the sauce to enhance flavor.
- When making the béchamel, whisk continuously to avoid lumps and add milk gradually, one cup at a time, whisking well after each addition.
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