Classic lasagne

Step 1

Heat the butter in a large heavy-based frying pan or saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes. Increase heat to high, add the mince and cook, stirring to break up the mince, for 8-12 minutes or until browned and all the liquid has evaporated.

Step 2

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Stir in the red wine and simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the pancetta and parsley.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make bechamel sauce: Place the milk, bay leaves and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Take the saucepan off the heat when tiny bubbles of milk appear around the edge. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Strain milk into a heat-resistant jug and discard the bay leaves and onion. Melt the butter in a clean saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the flour at once and stir over heat with a whisk or wooden spoon for 1 minute or until the mixture leaves the side of the pan and is bubbling. Don’t allow it to brown. Take the saucepan off the heat and place onto a cork mat. Add 1/2 the warm infused milk while stirring constantly with the whisk. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk, stirring until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until the sauce thickens and comes to the boil. Once the sauce reaches boiling point, reduce heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the bubbles to subside before seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons parmesan and stir the remainder into the sauce.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 21.5 x 27cm (base measurement) x 6.5cm deep (14-cup capacity) rectangular ovenproof dish.

Step 5

To assemble the lasagne, spread enough bechamel sauce into the dish to cover the base. Arrange some lasagne sheets over the sauce, breaking them when necessary to fit. Spread evenly with 1/3 of the meat sauce and then spread another ladleful of the bechamel sauce on top. Continue layering with the lasagne sheets, meat sauce and bechamel sauce, finishing with a layer of lasagne sheets. Pour the remaining bechamel sauce over the lasagne sheets and smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan and place on a baking tray. Bake in the centre of preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the top has browned and is bubbling around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before cutting into serving portions.