Directions
- 1Finely dice the carrots.
- 2Dice the celery.
- 3Chop the onions.
- 4Mince the garlic.
- 5Add extra virgin olive oil to a stockpot.
- 6Chuck in the mince and leave it alone to sear off on a high heat until it develops a beautiful crust.
- 7Break up the mince and add tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and garlic.
- 8Sear this off, cooking out the tomato paste and allowing the garlic aroma to infuse into the meat.
- 9Chuck in the sofrito (celery, onions, carrots) as well as dried Italian herbs and chili flakes.
- 10Close the lid and let the veggies sweat down for about 15 minutes until they're soft and translucent.
- 11Add cumin, coriander, and chili powder and cook these spices out for about 5 minutes, sautéing on a medium heat.
- 12Add in the tinned tomatoes and passata, along with one can's worth of water.
- 13Close the lid and let it simmer on a low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
- 14Add fresh parsley and herbs to the sauce and stir.
- 15Melt butter in a pan.
- 16Add flour to the melted butter and cook for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring.
- 17Turn down the heat, add 1 cup of milk and whisk, breaking up any lumps.
- 18Add another cup of milk and whisk; once lump-free, add the remaining milk.
- 19Turn the heat up to medium, constantly whisking to prevent lumps, and cook until thick, similar in consistency to hot custard.
- 20Season the béchamel to taste with salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg.
- 21Spread a little bit of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish to prevent sheets from sticking.
- 22Place fresh pasta sheets over the sauce layer.
- 23Add a layer of meat sauce over the pasta sheets.
- 24Drizzle béchamel sauce over the meat layer.
- 25Add another layer of pasta sheets.
- 26Continue layering with meat sauce and béchamel.
- 27Leave a large amount of béchamel for the end and top with freshly shredded cheese.
- 28Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes uncovered if using fresh lasagna sheets.
- 29Garnish with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg beef or lamb mince
- 2 large onions
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 15 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tins plum tomatoes
- 500 g passata
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp 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 handful fresh parsley
- 1 handful fresh coriander
- 100 g butter
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 to taste salt and pepper
- 1 tiny pinch nutmeg
Equipment
stockpotknifecutting boardbowlswooden spoonsaucepanwhiskbaking dishaluminum foilmortar and pestle
Tips
- Ensure to sear the mince on high heat to develop a crust and evaporate moisture, which enhances flavor and texture.
- Cook the sauce for at least one to two hours, stirring every 20 minutes, to allow flavors to meld.
- Make your own béchamel sauce with just three ingredients and 15 minutes for a superior taste.
- If using dry lasagna sheets, cover the dish with foil before baking to ensure they cook nicely and prevent them from becoming crunchy.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes after baking to keep the layers intact when serving.
- Do not use pre-shredded cheese as it contains anti-caking agents and does not melt properly.
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