Love Ya Lasagne

Step 1: Prepare Vegetables

Dice 2 onions, 3 carrots, 3 sticks celery, and mince 4 cloves garlic. Dice 300g pancetta/bacon into small pieces. Keep the pancetta separate from the other diced vegetables.

Step 2: Brown Mince

Heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add 700g beef mince and 700g pork mince (or your preferred mince mix) in batches. Brown the mince thoroughly, ensuring all liquid cooks out and the mince is nicely browned. Remove browned mince from the pan and set aside.

Step 3: Render Pancetta

Add the diced pancetta to the hot pan. Fry until crispy and its fat is rendered. This step is crucial for flavor.

Step 4: Sauté Vegetables

Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery to the pan with the rendered pancetta fat. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened.

Step 5: Add Garlic and Wine

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Pour in 500ml red wine and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, to cook off the alcohol. This step helps to deglaze the pan and add depth of flavor.

Step 6: Add Tomato Paste and Simmer Bolognese

Stir in 300g tomato paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Return the browned mince to the pan. Add 1L chicken stock and 350ml milk. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover and cook for at least 45 minutes (longer is better for flavor), stirring occasionally to prevent it from drying out.

Step 7: Prepare Pasta Dough

On a clean workbench, create a mound with 300g plain/00 flour and make a well in the center. Crack 3 large eggs into the well and add a pinch of salt. Whisk the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes to rest.

Step 8: Roll Pasta Sheets

Dust the workbench with flour. Using a pasta machine, start by rolling the dough through the thickest setting (e.g., setting 1). Fold the dough and repeat this step 2-3 times. Gradually decrease the setting, rolling the dough through each setting 2-3 times, until you reach the desired thickness (e.g., setting 6 for lasagne). Cut the rolled pasta sheets to fit your lasagne tray.

Step 9: Blanch Pasta Sheets

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully blanch the pasta sheets, one at a time, for approximately 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the blanched sheets to an ice bath to stop the cooking process and firm them up. This makes them easier to handle. Place them on paper towels to dry slightly.

Step 10: Prepare Béchamel

Melt 60g butter in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Whisk in 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons of flour to create a roux. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add 1L warm full cream milk to the roux, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the béchamel is too runny, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water).

Step 11: Assemble Lasagne

Preheat your oven to 180°C (≈355°F) (approximately 355°F) (fan-forced) or 200°C (≈390°F) (approximately 390°F) (conventional). Spread a thin layer of bolognese sauce at the bottom of your lasagne tray. Layer with pasta sheets, then a thin layer of béchamel, followed by bolognese. Repeat these layers until the tray is almost full, ensuring the top layer is béchamel. Do not overfill the tray.

Step 12: Bake Lasagne

Cover the lasagne tray with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil, grate parmesan cheese generously over the top, and bake uncovered for another 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Step 13: Rest and Serve

Once baked, remove the lasagne from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents it from falling apart.

• Cook mince in batches to brown it properly and cook out all liquid, preventing it from boiling.

• Fry pancetta until crispy to render its fat, which adds flavor.

• Sauté vegetables until onions are translucent for a good base.

• Cook off the alcohol from the red wine before adding other liquids.

• Simmer the bolognese sauce for at least 45 minutes; longer is better for flavor development.

• When making béchamel, use warm milk to prevent lumps.

• Do not overfill the lasagne tray to prevent spillage and burning in the oven.

• Let the lasagne rest for 5-10 minutes after baking before serving to allow it to set.

• Substitute pancetta with bacon if pancetta is unavailable.

• Use only beef mince or only pork mince for the bolognese, but avoid chicken mince.

• You can use store-bought fresh or dried pasta sheets instead of making them from scratch.

• If you don't want to use red wine, substitute with water or more chicken stock.

• If béchamel is too runny, thicken with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water).