I made my first lasagne over 25 years ago and some of my closest friends will say it is my signature dish. It was certainly the most popular answer to "what shall I cook" when friends were coming over, and definitely my mum's favourite. I can't put my finger on what makes it so popular, I just think it's a very comforting type of food and a dish I'll never tire of cooking or indeed eating!
The Recipe Ingredients
500g minced beef (as lean as possible - I use steak mince from the butcher)
1 large onion
3 carrots
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
Small punnet of cherry tomatoes (chop in half)
splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
Lasagne sheets (I use dried but you can use fresh - reduce the cooking time by 15mins if you do)
1 bag grated mature cheddar
1 jar of white sauce for lasagne (Dolmio or similar)
Salt & Black pepper
Method
Peel the onion, carrots and garlic and place in a blender. Blitz until finely chopped (it's quicker than doing it yourself).
Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and add the blended onion, carrots and garlic mixture. Fry gently for a few mins till softened.
Add the mince and give it a good stir. Gently fry till all the meat is browned, then add the Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt & black pepper and tomato puree and stir together.
Finally add the tin of chopped tomatoes and the fresh tomatoes and stir well.
Place a lid on the pan and leave to gently simmer for 20 mins.
Line the bottom of a lasagne dish with lasagne sheets (usually 2 will do this) and add half of the meat mixture on top. Spread evenly. Add a thin layer (1/3 jar) of the white sauce and spread evenly.
Add more sheets of lasagne, then the other half of the meat mixture followed by another layer of white sauce.
Add a final layer of lasagne sheets and final layer of white sauce making sure it is all evenly distributed. Top with grated cheese.
Bake in a pre heated oven Gas 4 or 180 degrees for 40-45 mins until golden on top.
I usually serve with garlic bread and a fresh green salad but the choice is yours.
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