Lasagne

Serves 4

This is a favourite in our house and is a great dish to prepare in advance ready for cooking later, serve with a simple salad and your homemade bread and bring a touch of Italy into your home

                   Ragu

• 6-8 sheets of dried Lasagne
• 2 tbl olive/veg oil
• 300 gms Mince
• 1 Onion
• 3 cloves of garlic crushed or 3tsp garlic granules
• I tin tomatoes
• 3 tbl tomato purée
• 1/2 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 beef/chicken stock cube
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Cheese Sauce

• 300gms mature/extra mature chedder grated
• 1 1/4 pints of Milk
• 50 gms butter
• 2 dsp cornflour
• Salt & pepper to taste

Ragu

1. Heat the oil and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes
2. Add the mince and garlic and fry until the mince is brown
3. Add tomatoes, tomato purée, herbs and crumbled stock cube.
4. Stir until the ragu comes to the boil, this sauce should not need cooking, however it must be of a thick consistency so if you feel it is runny cook without the lid for 5-10mins until any excess liquid has evaporated

Cheese Sauce

1.  Add butter, cornflour and milk to a large sauce pan
2. Stir ingredients together and bring to the boil slowly stirring constantly
3. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted
4. Taste and if needed add salt and pepper

Compile your Lasagne

In a large square Lasagne dish or ashet, line the bottom with Lasagne sheets then start your layers, these go beef ragu, Lasagne sheets then cheese sauce, you should get two or three layers depending on the size of your dish, finish with cheese sauce, sprinkle a little grated cheese over the top and bake in a preheated moderate oven, 180’C/ 375’F, gas mark4 and bake for around 45mins until the pasta is soft. Leave for 5mins before serving. Serve and enjoy.

Next week we shall make fish pie, for this you shall need, 2/3 pieces smoked haddock, broccoli, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, enough for four, and 350 mls milk, white pepper, butter and cornflour.