Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan/160C/gas Lightly oil an ovenproof dish (about 20 x 20cm).

Step 2

Gently fry the red onion until lovely and soft. Season.

Step 3

Then add the crushed garlic and stir for another minute or so. Add the mince and up the heat a little to encourage the mince to brown. But keep stirring as you don’t want the onions and garlic to catch and burn.

Step 4

Once the mince is browned and there’s no hint of pink left, add the tinned tomatoes. Once you’ve poured them into the pan, fill the empty tin with water and add this to the pan.

Step 5

Reduce the heat and allow to bubble for 45 minutes until the sauce is lovely and thick.

Step 6

For the cheat’s white sauce, mix together the cottage cheese, yoghurt, parmesan and eggs. Season this well with salt and pepper.

Step 7

Now you are ready to assemble. Spoon the mince into the dish first, followed by the lasagne sheets and then the white sauce. Top the white sauce with grated parmesan and mozzarella and then keep going. You want at least 3 layers but I always try for thinner layers and see if I can get 4.

Step 8

Top the final layer with lots of parmesan, some blobs of mozzarella and another grind of pepper. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until golden and bubbly and the pasta is soft when you poke it with a knife.

Step 9

Serve with a crunchy green salad with a mustardy dressing.