Lasagne ‘Pronto’

A family favourite! Prepare it ahead of time for an easy, stress free dinner. Serves: 6 Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 600 g beef mince • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped • 2 stick celery, finely chopped • ½ cup white wine • 700 g bottle tomato passata • ½ cup water • 2 tsp dried oregano or basil • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 300 ml carton thickened cream • To assemble • 6 sheet fresh lasagne sheets (or 9 dried) • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese • 30 g soft butter • extra grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large, deep-sided frypan, ensure it is hot. Crumble in half of the mince. Cook the mince, breaking up any lumps with a fork. Let the liquid evaporate (see page 3). Remove the first batch, reheat pan and cook remaining mince and then remove. 2. Add oil, onion, carrot and celery to frypan, cook over a medium to low heat until onion is just soft. Return the mince to the frypan, add the wine, and cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Add the tomato passata, water, herbs and season with salt, pepper and a small pinch of sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, partly cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Add a little water to sauce if needed as it cooks. 3. To assemble lasagne; Preheat oven to moderate 180ºC. Use a deep, rectangular ovenproof dish (we used one 31 x 23cm). Layer the meat sauce with the pasta sheets in the baking dish, sprinkle a little Parmesan over the meat sauce as you layer it. Finish with a layer of meat sauce, and then pour the cream over the top, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and a few tsp of butter. Bake covered for 20 minutes, and then uncovered for a further 20 minutes, or until thoroughly hot. Remove from oven and stand for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with the extra Parmesan to serve.