Lasagne

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 onion (peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 carrot (large, peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 celery stick (finely chopped)
• 500 grams minced beef
• 350 ml Italian red wine
• 700 ml passata
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 12 fresh lasagne sheets
• 50 grams cold salted butter (cut into 1 cm cubes)
• salt
• pepper

For the béchamel

• 100 grams salted butter
• 100 grams plain flour
• 1 litre cold full-fat milk
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
• 100 grams Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

For the pesto

• 40 grams fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove (peeled)
• 30 grams pine nuts
• 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 20 grams Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• pinch of salt

Method

Stage 1 - Make Pesto

1. Place basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor.
2. Pour in the oil and purée for about 20 seconds until smooth.
3. Transfer to a bowl and fold in Parmesan.
4. Season lightly with salt. Set aside.

Stage 2 - Make Meat Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan.
2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and cook onions, carrot, and celery for 5 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add minced beef and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring until colored all over.
4. Season with salt and pepper, cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour in wine, stir, and cook for about 3 minutes to allow alcohol to evaporate.
6. Add passata and tomato purée, lower heat to a bare simmer.
7. Cook uncovered for 1 hour until rich and thick.
8. After 30 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning.

Stage 3 - Make Béchamel

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Add flour and stir with a whisk, cooking gently for 2-3 minutes to make a white roux.
3. Pour cold milk onto the roux, whisking continuously.
4. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
5. When boiling, lower heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Add nutmeg.
8. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve.
9. Stir in half of the Parmesan and all of the pesto. Set aside.

Stage 4 - Assemble

1. Spread one-quarter of the béchamel-pesto sauce over the bottom of a deep 30 x 25 cm oven-proof dish.
2. Lay about 4 lasagne sheets on top, trimming to fit.
3. Spread half of the meat sauce over the pasta.
4. Top with one-third of the remaining béchamel sauce.
5. Lay four more sheets on top.
6. Cover with remaining meat sauce.
7. Spread half of the remaining béchamel sauce on top, ensuring all pasta is covered.
8. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and scatter cubed butter over the top.
9. Grind four turns of black pepper over the surface.

Stage 5 - Bake

1. Place on bottom shelf of oven for 30 minutes.
2. Move to middle shelf and increase temperature to 200°C / 180°C fan for further 15 minutes until golden and crispy all over.
3. Rest for 5-10 minutes out of oven before serving; this allows layers to hold together for easier cutting.