The classic Italian dish that everyone has their own spin on, but ultimately it’s all about the layers! My version uses slow-cooked ragu, bechamel and grated cheese amidst layers of pasta. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of flavours and textures – a truly satisfying and indulgent dish.
Servings
10 Servings
PREP TIME
45 mins
COOK TIME
60 mins
TOTAL TIME
1 hour 45 mins + ragu cook time
Difficulty
Intermediate
Wine pairing
Merlot, Sangiovese
1. Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat (the pot needs to be large enough to fit the ragu later on). When the butter has melted add the flour, stir until it’s combined, and then cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Remove the pot from heat and add milk gradually, about 1/3 cup at a time. Stir well with a whisk between each addition.
Tip: It may appear clumpy at first, but keep adding milk gradually and whisk well between additions to break apart clumps.
3. When all the milk is added, return the pot to medium-high heat and whisk constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Tip: This step requires patience; you’ll need to stir the bechamel almost constantly until it thickens, which can take up to 10 minutes. Have faith, and keep stirring!
4. When the bechamel has thickened, turn off the heat and add the nutmeg and parmesan and stir through until the parmesan has melted.
5. Add the beef ragu to the bechamel, and stir until both sauces are completely combined.
Tip: Mixing the sauces avoids having uneven layers of beef ragu and bechamel. I was skeptical when I first tried this, but now I won’t go back! In my opinion it results in a better and more consistent flavour, and makes it easier to form the lasagne.
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
2. Spoon a small amount of the sauce into the bottom of your lasagne dish, and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
Tip: This prevents the bottom layer of pasta from burning and sticking to the dish. If you have spray olive oil, it can also help to spray a light coating over the dish before adding the sauce.
3. Cover the sauce with a layer of lasagne sheets. Break them apart as needed to fit the dish.
Tip: I prefer the lasagne sheets not to overlap too much, otherwise you get uneven layers. I use a chopping board and a bread knife to cut them to the size I need.
4. Cover the lasagne sheets with a layer of sauce (about 1.5 cups of sauce per layer – just enough to mostly cover the pasta sheets). Use a spatula to spread it evenly, then sprinkle about 1/3 cup each of the grated mozzarella and tasty cheeses over the top.
5. Repeat layering the pasta, sauce and cheese until you’ve reached the top of your dish, or run out of pasta sheets or sauce. Leave the top layer as pasta sheets (no sauce on top), but reserve some grated cheese.
Tip: Press down gently on each layer of pasta to remove any air between layers. This also ensures cohesive layers, and maximises the space in the dish (for even more layers!).
6. Spoon dollops of the creme fraiche all over the top of the pasta sheets, then use the back of the spoon or spatula to spread it evenly. Top it with the remaining grated cheese.
1. Cover the lasagne with foil.
Tip: You want to make sure that the foil isn’t touching the cheese, otherwise the cheesy top layer will peel off when you remove the foil. So depending on the depth of your baking dish, you may need to add long toothpicks or skewers (per the picture below) to prevent the foil from touching the cheese. Place the foil loosely over the top and crimp around the sides of the baking dish. It doesn’t matter if the skewer pierces the foil, as long as it’s not touching the cheese.
2. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. Take the baking dish out of the oven. Remove the foil (and skewers), and place back the dish back in the oven until the cheese turns golden, about 10-15 minutes
4. Remove the lasagne from the oven and sprinkle the chopped basil leaves on top. Allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Tip: If you try to cut and serve the lasagne too soon, it won’t have set and all the layers will slide apart, resulting in a still-delicious but ‘deconstructed’ looking lasagne. If you’re worried about it not being hot enough, once the slices are cut they can be re-warmed in the oven (this is a great way to prepare servings for a large gathering, and simply remove from the oven and serve when everyone is ready).
An Italian favourite deserves another Italian favourite – Sangiovese! Other medium-bodied red options include Merlot, Montepulciano or Cabernet blends. Because lasagne has such a range of flavours (from creamy and cheesy to meaty and savoury), almost all reds are going to pair well.
