Lasagne

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Not my usual Sunday kind of post, but Charlie (my little man) has been on a school trip for a whole week and has requested lasagne! Made with a gorgeously rich Bolognese sauce using lots of onion and garlic for sweetness and flavour, this recipe will not disappoint. ⠀⠀⠀

INGREDIENTS

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400g lean mince beef⠀

300g chestnut mushrooms chopped ⠀

4 red onions finely chopped ⠀

5 cloves crushed garlic ⠀

1 tin tomatoes ⠀

1 glass red wine

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I love Belazu’s)⠀

1 tablespoon tomato purée ⠀

Optional ⠀

1 carrot grated ⠀

2 stalks celery finely chopped⠀

lasagne sheets

White Sauce

50g butter⠀

25g plain flour⠀

570ml milk⠀

Salt and pepper ⠀

130g grated cheese - cheddar, Parmesan or jarslberg

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1 mozzarella ball drained on kitchen towel and torn into pieces ⠀

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Grana Padano⠀

METHOD

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Bolognese ⠀

Sauté the onions in olive oil,slowly on a low heat for approximately 30 minutes until caramelised, but not burnt. This is worth doing as really adds flavour to the end sauce.⠀

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Add the garlic for 2 minutes. Now add the beef, season and turn the heat up slightly. Break up the meat until brown and there are no lumps. Pour in the wine and balsamic and let the alcohol evaporate. Now add the mushrooms, carrot, celery, tomatoes and purée. Season and taste. Simmer on a low heat for 2 hours. ⠀

If you think it’s too thin remove the lid to thicken.⠀

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Béchamel Sauce⠀

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.⠀

Stir in the flour. Whisk in a little of the milk at a time, stirring continuously until you have a smooth, slightly thick sauce.⠀

Remove from the heat; seaon with salt and pepper. Add bay leaf for additional flavour.⠀

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In a medium-large oven dish, layer the lasagne,⠀

Lasagne sheets⠀

Bolognese ⠀

Béchamel ⠀

Lasagne sheets⠀

Bolognese ⠀

Finishing with béchamel, mozzarella and Parmesan.⠀

Bake in an oven of 210 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

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