BEEF BOLOGNESE
LASAGNE
PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ STANDING)
SERVES 8
500g (1 pound) fresh lasagne
pasta sheets
2 cups (160g) finely grated parmesan
BOLOGNESE SAUCE
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium brown onion (150g),
chopped finely
1 trimmed celery stick (100g),
chopped finely
600g beef mince
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup (70g) tomato paste
800g canned crushed tomatoes
1 medium carrot (120g), grated finely
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1½ cups (375ml) beef stock
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat−leaf
parsley or basil
WHITE SAUCE
125g butter
¾ cup (110g) plain flour
1.25 litres (5 cups) hot milk
1 Make bolognesesauce.
2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°
fan. Grease a deep 25cm x 35cm
baking dish.
3 Make white sauce.
Spread ½ cup of white sauce over
base of dish. Top with a layer of pasta
sheets, a third of the bolognese sauce,
½ cup of the parmesan and 1 cup of
remaining white sauce in dish. Repeat
layering twice more, starting with
pasta sheets and ending with white
sauce. Top with remaining parmesan.
5 Bake lasagne for 40 minutes or
until top is browned lightly. Stand
for 15 minutes before cutting.BOLOGNESE SAUCE
Heat oil in large heavy−based frying
pan over medium heat; cook onion
and celery, stirring, for 10 minutes or
until vegetables soften. Add beef; cook,
breaking up the lumps with a wooden
spoon and stirring occasionally, until
beef changes colour. Add garlic and
tomato paste; cook, stirring, for
1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and carrot,
then oregano and stock; bring to the
boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered,
for 10 minutes or until thickened
slightly. Stir in parsley.WHITE SAUCE
Melt butter in a saucepan over low
heat, sprinkle in flour; stir until mixture
forms a smooth paste. Whisk in half
the milk until combined, then remainng
milk. Bring to the boil, whisking, until
sauce boils and thickens. Cool.Bolognese, the best known and most
versatile of pasta sauces, can be served
with spaghetti or layered between
sheets of pasta for a classic lasagne.
Or mix and match the bolognese sauce
and white sauce with the variations on
page 23 for a very modern lasagne.
27
Italian Make Ahead
COOK’S
NOTES
For extra richness, try
a combination of pork
and veal mince, rather
than just beef mince.
Store bolognese sauce,
covered, in the fridge
for up to 3 days, or
freeze portions in
airtight containers
for up to 3 months.“For a vegetarian option, omit bolognese sauce and
layer with Greek-style white sauce (page 25),
crumbled ricot a and drained char-gril ed vegies.”
Domenica Reddie, Assistant Recipe Editor, AWW Cookbooks