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Ash Pollard's Lasagne

  • 6 6

  • Preparation time:

  • Cooking time:

Ingredients

Fresh lasagne sheets enough to make 6 layers
Olive oil
1 large brown onion
2 garlic cloves
1 birdseye chilli
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
800g beef mince
200g pork mince
1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
200g tomato paste
200ml red wine
1litre veal or chicken stock
salt and pepper

FOR THE BECHAMEL
80g butter
80g plain flour
1 litre milk
½ onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 clove
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt
White pepper
300g parmigiano reggiano

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.

In a medium sized pot add the oil, onion and garlic. Sauté on a medium heat until transparent. Add the meat and stir until well browned. Add the herb and aromatics with the tomato paste and red wine and let it boil until it reduces by half.

Add the stock and reduce the heat, letting it simmer gently for 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced.

To make the béchamel, add the milk, onion, bay leaf, cloves and nutmeg to a medium pot and simmer slowly on low for about 20 minutes or until the flavours of the ingredients infuse into the milk.

In a separate pot on medium heat, add the flour and butter and whisk into a paste. Once the mixture has come together, pour the milk through a sieve (to catch the onion etc) and then whisk until the mixture thickens.

In a baking tray layer bolognese, béchamel, and a few sheets of fresh lasagne until completely covered. Keep this up for each layer, making sure to sprinkle some parmigiano on every second layer (or every layer if you're a cheese addict!) The last layer should be lasagne sheets, mince and a good dollop of béchamel, topped with stacks of cheese. Tuck the lasagne in around the baking tray, like sheets on a bed. This keeps it from burning the sides.

Pop it in the oven at 180 to 200 degrees celsius for 20 minutes or until slightly brown on the top.

Serve with a side of fresh rocket and parmesan, and of course a crusty baguette! Deeeelish!

Notes