Although there are many trendy new lasagnas out there, we are often asked for a classic lasagna. This is a recipe we’ve perfected over the years. Leave it to stand for six hours before cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 lb (900 g) raw ground beef
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 level tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 x 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes
- 3⁄4 cup beef stock
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
For the White Sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups hot milk
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 13⁄4 oz (50 g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 18–24 lasagna noodles (pre-cooked or no-boil variety)
- 85 g (3 oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 325˚F (160˚C). Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and cook until brown all over. Stir in the onions, celery, and garlic.
- Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables and beef, then blend in the tomatoes, stock, tomato purée, sugar, and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, then transfer to the oven for 1–1½ hours or until the beef is tender.
- Meanwhile, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook over the heat for 1 minute. Slowly add the hot milk, whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth. Add the mustard and Parmesan cheese and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Remove the meat sauce from the oven and put one-third into the base of the ovenproof dish (two dishes for 12). Spoon one-third of the white sauce on top and arrange a layer of noodles on top of that. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Spoon half the remaining meat sauce on top, then half the remaining white sauce. Put another layer of noodles on top and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the rest of the meat sauce followed by the rest of the white sauce.
- Sprinkle over the Cheddar cheese, then transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours before cooking so the pasta has chance to soften.
- To serve, preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C), then cook the lasagna in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes (1 hour for 12) or until golden brown on top, bubbling around the edges, and the pasta is soft.
