Day 22: Lasagne

So today was the day I cooked lasagne. My first lasagne...success. Lasagne is of course, one of my favourite Italian dishes. It seemed so complicated (and it was) so I've been putting it off. Well, It took about 2 hours all up to get it all done (i'm sure it will be easier and quicker next time) but gosh...was it worth it. I'm told it tastes even better heated up the next day. Okay...get ready people; there's a lot of ingredients. Which I happened to actually have this time. 


Serves about 8
What you need for the meat sauce:
-1 tablespoon (20ml) oil
-1 large (about 200g) onion, peeled and finely chopped
-100g shortcut bacon, finely chopped
-750g lean beef mince
-2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
-100g (4 tablespoons) tomato paste
-800g canned diced or crushed tomatoes
-125ml (1/2 cup) red wine
-1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
-1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
-1 bay leaf
-Salt and pepper, to taste


What you need for the Cheese Sauce: 
-90g butter
-75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
-800ml (3 cups + 2 1/2 tablespoons) milk
-1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-65g (2/3 cup, firmly packed) grated parmesan cheese
-Salt and pepper, to taste


Extra's you will need: 
-250g packet dry instant lasagne sheets (you probably won't need the full packet: the amount needed will depend on the measurements of your baking dish)
-Cheese Topping
-60g (1/2 cup, very firmly packed) grated mozzarella cheese
-60g (1/2 cup, very firmly packed) grated tasty cheddar cheese


How to make the Meat Sauce:
1. Heat oil in a very large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until onion has softened.
2. Increase heat to high and add mince and garlic to the pan. Break up mince by mashing with a fork until no large clumps remain. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all of the mince has changed colour.
3. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, red wine, oregano, basil and bay leaf to mince mixture and stir until combined. At first the mixture will look way too watery...but don't worry- you haven't messed up!
4. Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to about medium-low so that the mixture is simmering. Simmer, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meat sauce should be moist but not watery once it's ready.
5. Find the bay leaf from the mixture (it took me a while...sneaky little things) and throw it out. Shake in some salt and pepper and have a quick taste test. mmm-mmm.


How to make the Cheese Sauce:
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir flour into melted butter and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles. 
2. Remove saucepan from the heat. Add milk very gradually, stirring or whisking constantly.
3. When all of the milk has been added and the sauce is smooth, return the saucepan to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 7 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
4. Add nutmeg and parmesan cheese to sauce and stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


How to put it all together: (don't worry, it's all down hill from here)
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. You will need a 3.25 litre (13 cup) capacity rectangular ovenproof dish. Use a dish that is about 6.5cm deep. But if yours isn't that size...don't fret it will work in something bigger or smaller.
3.  Spread about 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce over the base of dish. This thin layer of sauce will help prevent the pasta from sticking to the base of the dish. Completely cover the sauce with a single layer of lasagne sheets, cutting or breaking the sheets to fit the shape of the dish.
4. Spread one third of the meat sauce over the lasagne sheets.
5. Cover meat sauce with one third of the remaining cheese sauce. Top with another layer of lasagne sheets. Spread half the remaining meat sauce over the pasta. Spread half the remaining cheese sauce over the meat sauce. Cover cheese sauce with a layer of pasta. Spread with remaining meat sauce then remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle with combined mozzarella and tasty cheese.
6. Cover lasagne with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 15 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is golden and pasta is tender. Remove lasagne from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the lasagne to firm up slightly before cutting and serving.

Yeah...so it doesn't look too amazing. I think my next blog should be on photo taking because I obviously lack that skill. Let me reassure you, it tasted brilliant! So creamy and i'm pretty sure it's the nutmeg that gave it that extra special zing. My family thought it was great. My dad (who happens to be my biggest critic when it comes to food), even went as far to say my lasagne is better than mum's. Shock horror! To which mum asked for my recipe... who would have thought! Can't wait to make it again (and eat it again)