Lasagne

For the meat sauce:

500g ground beef (or lamb if you prefer)

1 large or 2 small onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

2 tbsp tomato puree

Either 600g or your favorite bolognaise sauce base, or 600g of tomato passata with 1 tsp dry basil and 1 tsp dry rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

300ml water

salt and pepper

For the white sauce:

4 cups / 1 ltr milk

100g or 3 1/2 oz butter

3 heaped tbsp flour

1 cup grated /shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Also:

300g mozzarella, sliced

10 basil leaves, blended in 2 tbsp olive oil

2/3 cup grated /shredded parmesan

No pre-cook lasagne sheets, about 300g

(serves 8)

Heat the olive oil in a lidded saucepan. Gently fry the onion and garlic for 7 minutes. Add the meat and fry until browned. Add the tomato puree and stir well. Continue to fry for another 10 minutes. Add the bolognaise sauce base (or tomato passata / herbs mixture) and water, bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In another saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, mix well with a hand whisk. Add the milk a little at a time over medium heat. Stir all the while to make sure there are no lumps. When all the milk is added and the sauce is thick, add the cheese and stir well. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a shallow oven-proof dish, put a layer of the meat sauce at the bottom. Arrange a layer of lasagne sheets on top. Now put a layer of white sauce and spread evenly. Keep alternating sheets and the two sauces until you are nearly at the top of the dish. Finish off with a layer of white sauce. Cover loosely with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) .

Remove from oven. Arrange the sliced mozzarella over the top. Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted but not brown. Brush the basil oil over the top and sprinkle parmesan all over. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through and the pasta sheets are cooked. The cheese should be slightly golden but not brown. Serve.

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