Five ways with lasagne

LIFESTYLE

TRADITIONAL LASAGNE

SERVES 6-8 PREPARATION: 20 MIN COOKING: ABOUT 1 HOUR

BOLOGNESE SAUCE 15ml (1T) oil 1 onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 carrots, diced 500g beef mince 50g tomato paste 1 can (410g) chopped tomatoes 250ml (1c) beef stock 10ml (2t) light brown sugar 5ml (1t) dried mixed herbs salt and freshly ground pepper WHITE SAUCE 100g butter 80ml (¹⁄₃c) flour 750ml (3c) milk pinch of ground nutmeg salt

TO FINISH 500g lasagne sheets 250ml (1c) grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a large ovenproof dish with nonstick spray. 1 Bolognese sauce Heat the oil in a large saucepan or pot and fry the onion until fragrant. Add the garlic, celery and carrots and stir-fry for 5 minutes. 2 Add the mince and stirfry until brown. Stir in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and stock. 3 Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar, herbs, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside. 4 White sauce Melt the butter in a saucepan. Turn the heat down and stir in the flour. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the milk bit by bit while stirring continuously. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, stirring all the while to prevent lumps from forming. 5 Season with the nutmeg

and salt. Set aside. 6 To finish Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the lasagne in batches until just done but still firm. Drain. 7 Spread a layer of white sauce in the bottom of the prepared ovenproof dish. Add a layer of lasagne sheets. Follow with a layer of bolognese sauce. Repeat the layers until you’ve used all the ingredients, ending with the last of the white sauce. 8 Generously sprinkle the cheese over and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil.