Lasagne

My version of the Italian classic, with a Bolognese style sauce, vegetarian mince and homemade béchamel.

This recipe is as close to the classic Italian dish as I could get it, with a delicious slow cooked tomato sauce and homemade béchamel sauce. The recipe calls for veggie mince, but half veggie bacon and half veggie mince is also nice. You can also check out this sweet potato lasagne here: Sweet potato lasagne

INGREEDIENTS:

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 150 g celery, diced (½cm cubes)

• 100g carrot, diced (½cm cubes)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 600g veggie mince

• 70g tomato puree

• 700ml full fat milk

• 690g passata di pomodoro

• 50g butter

• 60g flour

• 150g parmigiano reggiano, grated

• 250g fresh lasagne sheets

METHOD:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for 5 minutes on a low heat

• Add the mince and cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat

• Add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes

• Add 200ml milk and cook on a high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or untill all the milk has been absorbed

• Add the passata and bring to the boil

• Turn the heat to the lowest setting and and let the sauce cook for 45 minutes with the lid half on

• Make the béchamel sauce:

• Melt the butter in a pan

• Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes

• Add the rest of the milk, spoon by spoon, stirring constantly. (Only add the next spoon when the previous has been completely absorbed)

• Bring to the boil

• Turn the heat down and let it gently cook for 2-3 minutes

• Season with salt and pepper

• Pre-heat the oven 180°C

• Layer up the lasagne:

• Start with some tomato sauce, then lasagne sheets, then more tomato sauce, béchamel, grated cheese

• Repeat this 3 times, ending with a layer of béchamel sauce with some grated cheese

• Bake for about 40 minutes in the pre-heated oven

Enjoy! Joseph x