Classic beef lasagna

Classic beef lasagna

Serves 6
Special equipment 2 quart shallow
wide-based ovenproof dish
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2lb (900g) raw ground beef
2 onions, roughly chopped
4 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 level tbsp all-purpose flour
2 x 14oz cans chopped tomatoes
3⁄4 cup beef stock
3 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp freshly chopped
thyme leaves
For the white sauce
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups hot milk
2 tsp Dijon mustard
13⁄4oz (50g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
18–24 lasagna noodles (pre-cooked or no-boil variety)
85g (3oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Serves 12
Special equipment 2 x 2 quart shallow wide-based ovenproof dishes or 1 x 3 quart dish
1 tbsp sunflower oil
4lb (1.8kg) raw ground beef
4 onions, roughly chopped
8 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
4 x 14oz cans chopped tomatoes
11⁄4 cups beef stock
6 tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp freshly chopped
thyme leaves
For the white sauce
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp all-purpose flour
51⁄2 cups hot milk
1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
31⁄2oz (100g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt and freshly groundblack pepper
36–48 lasagna noodles (pre-cooked or no-boil variety)
6oz (175g) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

1 Preheat the oven to 325˚F (160˚C). Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot, then add
the beef and cook until brown all over. Stir in the onions, celery, and garlic.
2 Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables and beef, then blend in the tomatoes, stock,
tomato purée, sugar, and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, then transfer to the oven
for 1–11⁄2 hours or until the beef is tender.
3 Meanwhile, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook
over the heat for 1 minute. Slowly add the hot milk, whisking until the sauce is thick and
smooth. Add the mustard and Parmesan cheese and season well with salt and freshly
ground black pepper.
4 Remove the meat sauce from the oven and put one-third into the base of the ovenproof
dish (two dishes for 12). Spoon one-third of the white sauce on top and arrange a layer of
noodles on top of that. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5 Spoon half the remaining meat sauce on top, then half the remaining white sauce.
Put another layer of noodles on top and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add the rest of the meat sauce followed by the rest of the white sauce.
6 Sprinkle over the Cheddar cheese, then transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours
before cooking so the pasta has chance to soften.
7 To serve, preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C), then cook the lasagna in the middle of the
oven for 45 minutes (1 hour for 12) or until golden brown on top, bubbling around the
edges, and the pasta is soft.
Great for a crowd... Make a batch of meat sauce, using just enough oil to coat the bottom
of the pan. Make a batch of white sauce, then assemble the lasagnas. Freezes well.