Chicken and ricotta lasagne

Step 1

Heat half the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add capsicum, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Transfer to a bowl.

Step 2

Return pan to medium-high heat. Cook bacon, stirring, for 2 minutes or until golden. Add half the mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and mince.

Step 3

Return mince mixture and vegetable mixture to pan. Add tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add tomato, passata, sugar and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Lightly grease two 6cm-deep, 24cm (base) square baking dishes. Spoon 1/2 cup mince mixture over base of each dish. Arrange 3 lasagne sheets over each mixture, breaking sheets to fit. Spoon one-quarter remaining mince mixture over lasagne sheets in each dish. Top each with 3 lasagne sheets. Repeat 1 layer of each, finishing with lasagne sheets.

Step 5

Spoon 1 tub ricotta over each lasagne, spreading to cover lasagne sheets. Sprinkle half the parmesan over each lasagne. Bake for 1 hour, swapping dishes halfway through cooking time, or until pasta is tender and cheese golden. Stand for 5 minutes (if freezing, refer to directions below). Serve with salad leaves.