There’s nothing quite like a classic beef lasagne – homemade of course! Layered with beef mince, creamy bechamel sauce and golden cheese, lasagne is a labour of love that is well worth the effort!
If you don’t eat beef, then you can swap it out for shredded chicken or roasted veg.
Classic beef lasagne
SERVES: 8 – 10
THE MINCE
- 250g bacon, chopped
- 2 onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 kg beef mince
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 x 410g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 tbsp origanum
FRY bacon in a large pot until golden. Remove and set aside.
FRY onions in the bacon fat until soft. Add garlic and peppers, and fry for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
HEAT a little oil in the same pot and brown the mince. When all extra liquid has cooked out, add bacon, onion and peppers. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
SIMMER on low heat for 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper.
THE BECHAMEL SAUCE
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves
- 1L milk
- 2 bay leaves
- 80g butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- Pinch of nutmeg
STUD whole onion with cloves. Place milk, onion and bay leaves in a pot and bring to the boil. Switch off the heat and let the milk sit for 15 minutes. Strain.
IN a separate pot, cook butter and flour for 3–5 minutes. Add milk slowly, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and glossy. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
TO ASSEMBLE
- 12–16 lasagne sheets
- 2 cups grated cheddar
PREHEAT oven to 180˚C.
SOAK the lasagne sheets in boiling water for 10 minutes.
LAYER ingredients in a 20 x 20 cm dish: one fifth bechamel, 3–4 lasagne sheets, a quarter mince. Repeat 3 times, ending on a layer of bechamel. Sprinkle the top of the lasagna with cheese.
BAKE for 40 minutes, then cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Compiled by: Tasneem Soni
First published by Food & Home
Also see: Creative school lunch box Ideas to satisfy picky eaters
