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Lasagna

This easy Lasagna recipe is completely irresistible. This genuine Italian recipe is made with a creamy bechamel sauce, a rich ragu and all the other elements that make lasagna too good to refuse.

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lasagna
Recipe AuthorAlice Cameron
Date14 June 2019
People8
MachineManual Mode
Preparation time 24 Minutes
Cooking time 3 Hours 6 Minutes
Total time 3 Hours 30 Minutes

Lasagna is the epitome of Italian comfort food! When it’s homemade it’s a million miles better than anything you would get from the shops. It takes a bit of work but the end result is so fantastic you’ll be making it over and over again.

A lasagna is comprised of a few critical elements; first and foremost, the pasta! The type of pasta used for lasagna is called ‘Lasagne‘ (pasta rolled into thin flat sheets). You can use both fresh and dried pasta but the cooking times may vary.

Secondly, you need a good bolognese sauce. The bolognese, also known as a ragu carries most of the flavour in this dish and adds a beautiful vibrant colour.

The third ingredient is a really rich and creamy bechamel sauce (also known as a white sauce). As the lasagna cooks in the oven, the bechamel melts and fusing everything together.

Last but not least – the cheeses. In this recipe, we have used mozzarella and parmesan. Each layer has generous sprinklings of both.

All these components come together to create one amazing lasagna, keep reading for the method!

Related recipes: Bolognese sauce (Ragu), Bechamel sauce

Ingredient list

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Lasagne 250g
Onion 100gmedium
Carrots 50gmedium
Celery 50gstalk, medium
Beef 400gminced
Passata 400g
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Tomato purée 1TBSP (UK)
Salt 0to taste
Nutmeg 0to taste

Step nr: 1 - Chop carrot, onion and celery

Ingredient list for step nr: 1

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Onion 100gram
Carrots 50gram
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Celery 50gram
Preparation time 10 Minutes
Total time 10 Minutes

Finely chop onions, carrots and the celery.

Step nr: 2 - Stir vegetables

Ingredient list for step nr: 2

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1tablespoon (UK)
Cooking time 10 Minutes
Total time 10 Minutes
Temperature120 Degrees Celsius

Add the oil to a large saucepan and heat over a medium heat. Add the vegetables and fry until soft, stirring continuously.

Step nr: 3 - Brown beef

Ingredient list for step nr: 3

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Beef 400gram
Cooking time 10 Minutes
Total time 10 Minutes
Temperature120 Degrees Celsius

Add the minced beef and stir until it has evenly browned.

Step nr: 4 - Add white wine

Ingredient list for step nr: 4

IngredientQtaUMNotes
White wine 100milliliter
Cooking time 5 Minutes
Total time 5 Minutes
Temperature120 Degrees Celsius

Add the white wine and reduce.

Step nr: 5 - Add passata and cook

Ingredient list for step nr: 5

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Passata 400gram
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Tomato purée 1tablespoon (UK)
Cooking time 1 Hour 45 Minutes
Total time 1 Hour 45 Minutes
Temperature80 Degrees Celsius

Add the passata and the tomato puree, stir and leave to cook with the lid on.

Step nr: 6 - Add sugar

Ingredient list for step nr: 6

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Salt 0to taste
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Granulated sugar 1teaspoon (UK)
Cooking time 15 Minutes
Total time 15 Minutes
Temperature80 Degrees Celsius

Add the sugar and season with salt and then continue cooking with the lid on.

Step nr: 7 - Set aside

TimeNo times for this step
BowlToolBowl

Set aside the ragù in a bowl and start making bechamel sauce.

Step nr: 8 - Make the roux

Ingredient list for step nr: 8

IngredientQtaUMNotes
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Plain Flour 100gram
Cooking time 5 Minutes
Total time 5 Minutes
Temperature90 Degrees Celsius

In a saucepan melt the unsalted butter and then add the flour. Stirling constantly until it has formed a roux.

Step nr: 9 - Add semi skimmed milk

Ingredient list for step nr: 9

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Cooking time 6 Minutes
Total time 6 Minutes
Temperature90 Degrees Celsius

Gradually add the semi skimmed milk and cook until you have a thick and smooth sauce.

Step nr: 10 - Season bechamel sauce

Ingredient list for step nr: 10

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Salt 0to taste
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Nutmeg 0to taste
Preparation time 1 Minute
Total time 1 Minute

Season well with salt and nutmeg.

Step nr: 11 - Preheat oven

TimeNo times for this step
Temperature200 Degrees Celsius

Preheat oven to 200˚C.

Step nr: 12 - Add layers of ragù, pasta, mozzarella and bechamel sauce

Ingredient list for step nr: 12

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Lasagne 250gram
Mozzarella 400gram
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Parmesan 120gram
Preparation time 10 Minutes
Total time 10 Minutes

In a large rectangle tray start by spreading a fine layer of ragu on the bottom of the tray, then make a layer of the pasta sheets, making sure not to overlap them too much. Add a layer of ragù, add some mozzarella, a layer of bechamel sauce and in the end sprinkle a little bit of parmesan. Then add a layer of the pasta sheets and continue in this order until your tin is almost full.

Step nr: 13 - Add last layer of ragù, bechamel sauce, butter

Ingredient list for step nr: 13

IngredientQtaUMNotes
Parmesan 80gram
IngredientQtaUMNotes
Preparation time 3 Minutes
Total time 3 Minutes

For the last layer start with the pasta, some ragù, a little bit of bechamel, then cover generously with parmesan and some pieces of butter.

When Parmesan and butter will melt in the oven, they will make the delicious crunchy crust on the top of lasagna.

Step nr: 14 - Cook lasagna

Cooking time 30 Minutes
Total time 30 Minutes
Temperature200 Degrees Celsius

Cook for 30 minutes.

Before adding your lasagna to the oven cover with tin foil and remove it after 20 minutes: in this way the cooking of the lasagna will be more uniform, as well as the crust on the surface.