The Ultimate Lasagne with a Very Cheesy Sauce
Delicious - what more can I say!
Indulge in layers of rich beef ragu, creamy cheesy béchamel, and pasta sheets, all topped with gooey cheese sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan. This lasagne is  comfort food at its best!
 
Servings: 6 yield(s)
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 105 mins
Ingredients
    For the tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove (peeled & crushed)
  • 1 pinch caster sugar
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme (leaves only, chopped)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
    • For the meat sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 shallots (peeled & finely chopped)
  • 1 carrot (peeled & finely chopped)
  • 1 celery stick (finely chopped)
  • 500 g lean minced beef
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme (leaves only)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 basil leaves (torn)
  • 375 ml red wine (merlot or chianti)
  • 1 pinch caster sugar
  • 2 tsp tomato puree
    • For the cheese sauce
  • 600 ml milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 small onion (peeled & thickly sliced)
  • 60 g butter
  • 60 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 100 g extra mature cheddar (grated)
  • 100 g Red Leicester cheese (grated)
  • salt & pepper (freshly ground)
    • For the lasagne
  • 12 pre-cooked lasagne sheets
  • 50 g parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a pan and add the tomatoes and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Now add the sugar, thyme, bay leaf and seasoning. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have reduced.
  2. For the meat sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the shallots, carrots and celery for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the mince and cook for 5-8 minutes until the meat is browned. Add the thyme, bay leaves, basil and red wine. Reduce slowly over a gentle heat until thick. Season to taste, and add the sugar to taste, now stir in the tomato puree and take out the bay leaves.
  3. To make the cheese sauce, pour the milk into a saucepan and add the bay leaf peppercorns and onion. Heat gently to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat, cover and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the milk into a jug. In a separate pan melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the warm milk. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring. Cook, stirring until thickened and smooth. Stir in the mustard and cheese, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Remove the bay leaf from the tomato sauce and combine this with the meat sauce. Combine the meat sauce with a quarter of the cheese sauce.
  5. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C Fan/Gas mark 3.
  6. To assemble the lasagne, grease an oven proof dish, spread a spoonful of meat sauce over the base of the dish. Add a layer of lasagne sheets and top with one third of the meat sauce, then drizzle over some cheese sauce. Repeat this and top with a final layer of lasagne sheets and cover with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the Parmesan and place in the oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

I have been commissioned by Pilgrims Choice to create this recipe and share this blog post with you here on my website. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I only endorse products I genuinely would recommend to you.