Lasagne

Lasagne

Minced beef and cheese sauce mingle enticingly between layers of fresh pasta.

Serves 4-6

375g fresh lasagne sheets

Meat Sauce:
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g lean minced beef
400g can tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
125m1(1/2 cup) red wine

Cheese Sauce:
60g butter
60g (1/2 cup) plain flour
625m1 (2 1/2 cups) milk
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
125g Cheddar cheese, grated
pinch of salt and black pepper

1. Grease a 30 x 20cm lasagne dish. For the meat sauce, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the beef and stir until browned.
2. Add the tomatoes, mixed herbs, sugar, salt, pepper, tomato paste and wine. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C.
3. For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly, with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Add the milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the nutmeg, half the cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Put a third of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared dish. Cover with a layer of lasagne. Spread a third of the cheese sauce over the lasagne and cover with another layer of lasagne. Continue alternating meat sauce, lasagne and cheese sauce, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.