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Lasagna
A straightforward supermarket lasagna when you want dinner, or a slower ragù when you're willing to put the time in.
BASIC
A solid lasagna without spending the afternoon making every component from scratch.
Method
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.
Start the sauce
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened.
Brown the mince
Add the beef mince. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
BrownLet the food develop actual brown colour. Grey meat can be cooked, but it is not browned. If liquid pools in the pan, use more heat or cook in smaller batches.Cooking words →Add any extras
If you're using the optional red wine, add it now and let it bubble until mostly reduced. Add the Worcestershire sauce or chilli flakes here too.
Make it saucy
Stir in the tomato paste, passata and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Build the lasagna
Spread a little meat sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, then more meat sauce and some white sauce. Repeat until everything is used, finishing with white sauce on top.
Add the cheese
Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan over the top.
Bake
Bake for about 35–40 minutes, until browned on top and bubbling around the edges.
Leave it alone for a bit
Rest the lasagna for 10 minutes before cutting. It will hold together better and you are less likely to remove the roof of your mouth.
UPGRADE
Properly browned meat, a slow-cooked ragù and béchamel made from scratch. More work, but this is where the extra effort actually pays off.
Method
Build the base
Heat a little oil in a large pot or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly for 8–10 minutes until softened.
Brown the meat properly
Increase the heat and add the beef and pork mince. Cook until deeply browned, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Do this in batches if your pan is crowded.
BrownLet the food develop actual brown colour. Grey meat can be cooked, but it is not browned. If liquid pools in the pan, use more heat or cook in smaller batches.Cooking words →Add the flavour
Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Deglaze
Pour in the wine and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble until reduced by roughly half.
DeglazeAdd liquid to a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Those bits are flavour, not washing-up failure.Cooking words →Slow it down
Add the tomatoes, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally. The ragù should become thick, rich and noticeably darker.
Make the béchamel
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, adding a little at a time to keep it smooth. Cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir through about half the parmesan and season to taste.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.
Layer it
Spread a little ragù across the base of the baking dish. Add lasagna sheets, ragù and béchamel. Repeat the layers, finishing with béchamel.
Finish the top
Cover with mozzarella and the remaining parmesan.
Bake
Bake for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.
Rest before cutting
Leave it for at least 15 minutes before serving. The layers will settle and the whole thing will be much easier to portion.
RestLeave the food alone for a short time after cooking. For meat, this lets the temperature settle before you cut into it.Cooking words →