Lasagna

• Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (Prep 20 mins | Cook 1 hour 25 mins)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 4-6

Source: Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

For the Bolognese Sauce

• 2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, preferably free-range or organic
• 2 medium onions (peeled and finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
• 2 carrots (finely chopped)
• 2 sticks of celery (finely chopped)
• olive oil
• 2 heaped tsp dried oregano
• 500g good-quality minced beef, pork, or a mixture of the two
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a small bunch of fresh basil
• 50g Parmesan cheese

For the Lasagne

• 250g dried egg lasagne sheets
• 1 x 500ml tub of crème fraîche
• 100g Parmesan cheese
• 1 large ripe tomato

Method

1. Make the Bolognese sauce

1. Finely slice the bacon. Peel and finely chop the onions2 medium onions (peeled and finely chopped), garlic2 cloves of garlic (peeled and finely chopped), carrots2 carrots (finely chopped) and celery2 sticks of celery (finely chopped).
2. Place a large casserole-type pan on a medium to high heat. Add 2 lugs of olive oilolive oil, the sliced bacon and the oregano. Cook and stir until the bacon is lightly golden.
3. Add the veg to the pan and stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes, or until softened and lightly coloured.
4. Stir in the minced meat and the tinned tomatoes2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes. One-third fill one of the empty tins with water and add to the pan. Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Pick the basila small bunch of fresh basil leaves and place in the fridge for later. Finely chop the basila small bunch of fresh basil stalks and stir into the pan.
6. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer with a lid on for 45 minutes, stirring every now and again to stop it catching.

2. Finish the sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan.
2. Remove the Bolognese sauce from the heat. Finely grate the Parmesan and stir a quarter of it into the sauce.
3. Tear and stir in any larger basila small bunch of fresh basil leaves, keeping the smaller ones aside for later. Have a taste and season with a little more salt and pepper if needed.
4. Boil some water in the kettle and pour it into a pan, then add all your lasagne sheets with a drizzle of oil. Blanch for 3 to 4 minutes to slightly soften.
5. Drain the sheets in a colander and carefully pat them dry with some kitchen paper to absorb any excess water.

3. Assemble and bake

1. Spoon a third of the Bolognese sauce into the bottom of an earthenware ovenproof dish. Follow with a layer of lasagne sheets.
2. Dollop over a third of the crème fraîche and smooth it out to cover the lasagne sheets. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper and another quarter of the grated Parmesan.
3. Add another layer of lasagne, and repeat the layers twice more, finishing with a layer of crème fraîche and the remaining Parmesan.
4. Top with some slices of tomato1 large ripe tomato, scatter over the small basila small bunch of fresh basil leaves and drizzle with olive oilolive oil.
5. Cover with foil, place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. After that, remove the foil and cook for a further 35 minutes until the lasagne is bubbling and golden.
6. Serve on the table with a fresh green salad and let everyone help themselves.