# Lasagna

This is a comprehensive lasagna recipe that emphasizes proper technique and complementary spices for a flavorful dish.

- Servings: 10 servings
- Total time: 100 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg beef or lamb mince
- 2 large onions
- 2 medium sized carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 15 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tins plum tomatoes
- 500 g passata
- 1 large 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
- 1 tiny pinch nutmeg

## Instructions

1. Finely dice the carrots.
2. Finely dice the celery.
3. Mince the garlic.
4. Add extra virgin olive oil to a stockpot.
5. Add the beef or lamb mince to the stockpot and let it sear off on a high heat for 5 minutes until it develops a beautiful crust.
6. Break up the mince and continue to sear it with the lid off until the moisture has evaporated.
7. Add the tomato paste, salt, and bay leaf to the mince.
8. Add the garlic to the mince and stir well.
9. Sear the mixture off to cook out the tomato paste and allow the aroma from the garlic to infuse into the meat.
10. Add the diced celery, onions, and carrots to the stockpot.
11. Add dried Italian herbs and chilli flakes to the mixture and stir well.
12. Close the lid and let the veggies sweat down for about 15-20 minutes until they're soft and translucent.
13. Add cumin, coriander, and chilli powder to the mixture and cook these spices out for about 5 minutes, sautéing on a medium heat.
14. Add the tinned plum tomatoes and passata to the stockpot.
15. Add one can's worth of water.
16. Close the lid and let the sauce simmer on a low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
17. Melt the butter in a pan.
18. Add the plain flour to the melted butter and cook this out for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning.
19. Turn the heat down, add 1 cup of milk and whisk to break up any lumps.
20. Add another cup of milk and whisk until lump-free.
21. Add the remaining milk and whisk well.
22. Turn the heat up to medium, constantly whisking, and cook until thick, similar to hot custard.
23. Season the bechamel sauce with salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg.
24. Add a little bit of meat sauce to the bottom of the baking dish to prevent pasta sheets from sticking.
25. Lay fresh pasta sheets over the sauce.
26. Spread a layer of meat sauce over the pasta sheets.
27. Drizzle bechamel sauce over the meat layer.
28. Add another layer of fresh pasta sheets.
29. Add another layer of meat sauce.
30. Add a generous amount of bechamel sauce on top.
31. Top with freshly shredded cheese.
32. Prepare garlic butter by adding minced garlic to butter.
33. Add parmesan cheese and fresh parsley to the butter and garlic, and mix well.
34. Slice a baguette diagonally and spread the garlic butter mixture into the cuts.
35. Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes uncovered (if using fresh lasagna sheets).

## Equipment

- knife
- cutting board
- stockpot
- wooden spoon
- lid
- pan
- whisk
- baking dish
- foil

## Tips

- For the meat, chuck in the mince and leave it alone to sear off on a high heat until it develops a beautiful crust, then you can start breaking it up. This will add an extra depth of flavor as well as getting rid of that gamey smell that minced meat can sometimes have.
- There is no need to remove the meat first and sauté the veggies separately, close the lid and let those veggies sweat down until they're soft and translucent.
- It’s really crucial to let the sauce come together for at least an hour, two if you really want to earn my respect. Just close the lid and go about your day. Start a fight with your husband, do the dishes. I don’t really care as long as you’re making sure to stir every 20 minutes.
- Fresh herbs make everything better so don't skimp out on this.
- If you are using dry pasta sheets and you're not pre-boiling, then make sure to foil the lasagna before popping it into the oven to ensure they cook nicely, because there is nothing worse than a crunchy or al dente pasta sheet.
- The key to an ooey gooey cheesy top is to leave a large amount of bechamel for the end and top with freshly shredded cheese. None of that pre-shredded stuff that's packed with anti-caking agents and never actually melts properly.

## Source

- Original video: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSA76A2ua/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/f5f3521c-c559-4a81-b6ed-7e71ce13b647
- Extracted: 2025-09-04

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt