Individual Lasagnas

Meat sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g beef mince
2 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Cheese sauce:
50g unsalted butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
200g tasty cheese, grated, plus 2 cups extra for topping
Salt and white pepper, to taste
12 (small) or 6 (large) sheets fresh lasagne

Preheat the oven to 180°C

Heat olive oil in a large deep non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until soft but not brown. Add the mince and cook until brown and crumbly, using a wooden spoon to break up lumps.

Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt; bring to the simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes. The sauce initially appears quite runny and pale, but as it cooks and reduces, it achieves a thick consistency and a beautiful red colour. You will know when it’s ready – it becomes very aromatic.

Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it gathers into a dough (this is called the roux). Continue to stir for another minute or so, as the flour begins to cook.

Add a little milk. This will be incorporated into the roux fairly quickly, and it will once again come away from the sides of the pan. Once this happens you can add another little bit of milk and repeat until all the milk has been added and the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t catch on the bottom, until the sauce just comes to the boil and thickens. Stir in the mustard, then add the cheese and stir until it melts. Taste and season with salt and white pepper.

Cut the pasta sheets to the shape of the pie dishes you are using for the lasagne.

In the dishes, put a layer of tomato sauce, followed by a layer of cheese sauce, followed by a lasagne sheet. Repeat. Finish with a layer of cheese sauce and top with cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cheese on top is golden and bubbling. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Garlic and rosemary bread
Serves 6
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes

200g unsalted butter, softened but not melted
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons, finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 loaf Turkish bread

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Combine the butter, garlic and rosemary in a bowl and mix well.

Split the Turkish loaf horizontally into 2, and spread the butter over both halves.

Bake on a lined baking tray for 8 minutes, or until the butter has melted and the edges have become golden.

Cut into pieces and serve hot.

Click here to print all the recipes from this weeks show.