Ultimate Lasagne

A proper lasagne is a labour of love with two different types of sauce to make before you assemble and then bake. So if you're going for it, it might as well be the best!

Fresh lasagne sheets make a big difference and they're easy to get hold of in the fridges of almost every supermarket. The other important parts are milk in your ragu for creaminess and richness and a dry white wine (rather than red) as is traditional in Bologna. Most importantly though is cooking the ragu low and slow the day before you eat to really intensify the flavour and give the ingredients time to really get to know each other. 

Ultimate Lasagne

Serves 8

250g fresh lasagne sheets 

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the ragù sauce 

oil 

100g streaky bacon, finely chopped 

1 onion, finely chopped 

3 carrots, finely chopped 

3 celery sticks, finely chopped

4 fat garlic cloves, crushed 

250g British beef or veal mince 

250g British free-range pork mince 

200ml whole milk 

175ml dry white wine

400g tin chopped tomatoes 

2 tsp dried oregano 

For the bechamel (white sauce) 

60g unsalted butter 

60g plain flour 

700ml whole milk 

85g gruyere (or cheddar), finely grated

For the ragù, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium heat and gently fry the bacon for about 8 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, then soften gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside in a medium sized bowl.

Add the beef/veal and pork mince to the pan and fry, stirring to break up any lumps, until browned and starting to crisp up. Return the cooked veg to the pan then pour in the milk and simmer very gently for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. 

Stir the wine, tomatoes and the oregano into the pan, then season well with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid slightly ajar, then oven-cook for 3 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Check every now and then, adding a little water if needed. 

Meanwhile, make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a medium heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3-4 minutes until the mixture starts to smell toasty. Gradually add the milk, whisking between each addition. Then simmer, whisking all the time, for 6-8 minutes until thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, stir in 30g of the cheese and a good amount of salt and pepper. 

To assemble, spread a little of the bechamel or ragù over the base of the baking dish, then cover with slightly overlapping lasagne sheets. Spoon over a third of the bechamel, then top with half the ragù. Add another layer of lasagne, then top with half the remaining bechamel and all the remaining ragù. Add the final layer of lasagne, then spread with the remaining bechamel. Scatter with the rest of the cheese, then set aside for a bit – ideally overnight in the fridge, but an hour at room temperature will do. 

When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and bake the lasagne for 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.