Classic beef lasagne
Serves 6 · 2 hours 25 minutes · Baking tin
Slow-simmered beef ragù, silky béchamel and a golden cheese top. The enamelled baking tin takes the tomato sauce in its stride and is easy to clean afterwards.
A really good lasagne starts with a meat sauce that has simmered gently for an hour and a béchamel seasoned with nutmeg. Layer them up, top with cheese, bake at 200 °C until bubbling, and let it rest for 15 minutes so the slices hold together.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Meat sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 2 garlic cloves
- 500 g beef mince
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 100 ml red wine (optional)
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml water
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Béchamel sauce
- 50 g butter
- 50 g plain flour
- 700 ml milk
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly grated nutmeg
To assemble
- About 12 no-precook lasagne sheets (about 250 g)
- 125 g mozzarella
- 75 g grated parmesan
Method
- Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Soften them in the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat for about 8 minutes.
- Turn up the heat, add the mince and fry until crumbly and browned. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute. Pour in the wine and let it bubble away.
- Add the tomatoes, water, oregano and bay leaf. Simmer gently with the lid ajar for about 1 hour, stirring now and then. Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf.
- For the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Season with salt and nutmeg. Heat the oven to 200 °C.
- Spread a little béchamel over the base of the baking tin. Layer sheets, meat sauce and béchamel three times, finishing with sheets and the rest of the béchamel. Break the sheets to fit so the whole surface is covered.
- Tear the mozzarella over the top and scatter with parmesan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35–40 minutes, until golden and bubbling at the edges. Check with a knife that the pasta is tender.
- Leave the lasagne to rest for 15 minutes before cutting so the layers can settle.
Why it works
Enamel stands up to tomato and acidity without picking up flavours or staining, so the lasagne can stay in the tin until the next day. Baked-on cheese comes away easily from the smooth surface after a short soak.
FAQ
Can I make lasagne the day before?
Yes. Assemble it, cover the tin and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Allow an extra 10–15 minutes in the oven when it goes in cold.
Can you freeze lasagne?
Yes, ideally in portions once baked and cooled. Defrost in the fridge and reheat at 175 °C until piping hot all the way through.
Why should lasagne rest before cutting?
Resting lets the sauces and pasta set, so the slices keep their shape instead of sliding across the plate.
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