Beef Lasagne

Every family needs a go-to lasagne recipe, and this is Lara Battigelli's favourite family recipe. Made with premium Irish Hereford Prime Lean Beef Mince, this lasagne is delicious, hearty, and full of flavour.

Every family needs a go-to lasagne recipe, and this is Lara Battigelli’s favourite family recipe. Made with premium Irish Hereford Prime Lean Beef Mince, this lasagne is delicious, hearty, and full of flavour.

Ingredients

For the Ragu

800g Irish Hereford Prime Lean Beef Mince
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced finely
2 carrots, diced finely
2 sticks of celery, diced finely
120g diced pancetta or bacon lardons
3 cloves garlic, diced
400g passata
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Handful of fresh basil
30g freshly grated Parmesan
Salt & pepper

For the Béchamel Sauce

150g salted butter
150g plain flour
600-750ml milk
Black pepper
Optional grated nutmeg

To Assemble

300-400g fresh lasagne sheets
150-200g grated mature cheddar
Grated Parmesan to taste

Method

Sauté the finely diced vegetables and pancetta in olive oil until the onions are soft. (Tip: Blend the vegetables for fussy eaters.)
Add the Irish Hereford Prime mince, breaking it up as it browns. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the tomato purée, passata, balsamic vinegar, and basil.
Add 100ml of water to the passata jar, shake to get every bit, and add to the pan.
Simmer for 25-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To prepare the béchamel sauce, melt butter in a pan, whisk in the flour to form a paste, and gradually add milk until you reach a custard-like consistency. Season with black pepper and nutmeg.
To assemble, spread a thin layer of béchamel in a baking dish, followed by lasagne sheets, more béchamel, grated cheddar, and ragu. Repeat for 3-4 layers, finishing with ragu, béchamel, cheddar, and Parmesan on top.
Bake at 180°C, covered with foil, for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.