Lasagne al Forno

Two sauces, both of which reward patience. The ragu wants two hours at a whisper so the meat goes soft and the tomato loses its sharpness. The bechamel wants to be looser than you think, because the pasta drinks it as it bakes.

1. 1

   Soften the onion, carrot and celery in oil for 10 minutes, add the garlic, then brown the mince hard, breaking it up.

   For this step

   • 500 g beef mince
   • 1 each onion
   • 3 garlic cloves
2. 2

   Stir in the tomato puree, add the tomatoes and half a tin of water, and simmer on the lowest heat for 2 hours until thick and dark. Season at the end.

   For this step

   • 2 tins (800 g) chopped tomatoes
   • 2 tbsp tomato puree
3. 3

   For the bechamel, melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes, then add the milk gradually, whisking, until it coats a spoon. Season with nutmeg.

   For this step

   • 3.5 cups (840 g) whole milk
   • 4 tbsp (56 g) butter
   • 0.33 cup (42 g) plain flour
   • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
4. 4

   Layer in a deep dish: ragu, pasta sheets, bechamel, a scatter of Parmesan. Repeat, finishing with bechamel and a thick layer of Parmesan.

   For this step

   • 250 g lasagne sheets
   • 100 g Parmesan
5. 5

   Bake at 180C for 40 to 45 minutes until brown and blistered on top and bubbling at the edges.

6. 6

   Rest for 20 minutes before cutting. Straight from the oven it slides apart on the plate.

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