Lasagne

Ingredients
1 batch of my Bolognese Sauce
1 batch of my White Sauce
1/2 box of lasagne sheets (normal or verdi(green) or mix of both)
75g/3oz grated cheese, you can use cheddar or mozzarella (either ready grated or fresh cut into slices)

Method
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/180C.
You need a wide dish suitable for lasagne, ideally about 10cm high. I use a square lasagne dish, you can use a casserole dish, but it need so be large enough to take at least one sheet of lasagne at a time. Don't worry, the lasagne sheets break easily.

1. Add a couple of large serving spoon size spoonfuls of the bolognese sauce to the dish, I use a ladle, spread it so it just covers the base.
2. Now drizzle over some of the sauce, about a large serving spoon size.
3. Now cover with a single layer of the lasagne sheets. (see next step below if you have just used the last of the sauce)

Repeat steps 1-3 a couple more times. You will need enough of each sauce left to cover the final layer of lasagne so it is all covered.

Sprinkle over the grated cheese or place on the fresh mozzarella.
Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

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White sauce

Ingredients
250ml/ 1/2pint milk
25g/1oz plain flour
25g/1oz butter/spread suitable for cooking
Salt and pepper

Method
Put all the ingredients in a small pan, grab a balloon whisk and put over a medium heat, keep stirring until the sauce has thickened. (don't leave it, just keep stirring, trust me it will look impossible to start with but it works)

When it has thickened and starts to bubble, allow to simmer for 3 minutes to "cook" the flour.

Season to taste.

Cheese sauce - simply stir in 1 tsp dijon mustard, add 75g/3oz grated cheese and heat gently until melted.

Parsley sauce - stir in 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

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Bolognese sauce (ragu)

 Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 rashers streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces, or 1 pack of cubed pancetta/bacon lardons
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
500g/1lb minced beef
1 carrot, finely diced
1 tbsp tomato purée
100ml/ 1/4pt milk
1/4 nutmeg grated (use fresh, it's much nicer)
1 glass red wine (there won't be any alcohol left after cooking)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 oxo cube
Water
Salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan, add the onions and celery and gently fry until they are soft, add in the bacon and fry for about 3 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the garlic and minced beef, break up the mince as you fry it, it should start to crumble, fry until none of the mince is pink. Add in the carrot, tomato purée, nutmeg and milk, bubble until the milk has vanished. Now add the wine, again bubble until it has vanished. Sprinkle over the oxo cube add the tinned tomatoes and enough water to just cover the ingredients, season. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a very low simmer so that the odd bubble breaks the surface, cook for a good hour, stirring occasionally. At this stage you could pop this in a slow cooker and leave on low all day to cook.

Check seasoning and then serve.

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