Meaty Lasagne

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.

Prepare the meat sauce by finely chopping the leeks, garlic, onion and carrots and shallow frying in oil for 8-10 minutes until soft.

In a large bowl, spice the meat with salt, pepper, sugar, herbs and ground coriander. Break up the mince lightly with your hands to make sure the spices are well incorporated.

Brown the mince slightly, then add the passata, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Allow the meat sauce to cook for 20 minutes on a low heat until most of the water has cooked away and starts to thicken.

While the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the bechamel. Make the bechamel by heating the butter until melted, then remove from the heat and whisk in the flour. Add 1 cup of milk and whisk again and return to a low heat.

Add the remaining milk and whisk through until smooth and starts to thicken.

Add in the grated Parmesan, nutmeg and salt, whisk again until smooth and then set aside.

Assemble the lasagne in a Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole, by starting with a layer of meat sauce, then a layer of lasagne sheets, bechamel, grated mozzarella. Repeat until ¾ full, making sure the top layer is bechamel sauce and mozzarella only (no meat sauce).

Bake in the oven with the lid on for another 20 minutes and then remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes to brown the top.

Serve warm with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan.

Image and recipe by Linda Lemon Creative.