Directions

1. Melt a little oil and butter in a pot and add the diced onion with a pinch of salt.
2. When the onion has softened, but not browned, add the garlic. Cook for a minute and then add the meat.
3. Cook the meat until it is brown, add the tomato paste, wine and a little water if it’s too thick.
4. Add salt, pepper, some chilli flakes and the basil and cook on low for about 45 minutes. You don’t have to cook it this long if you are in a rush but it is nicer if you have time to do it.
5. To make the Béchamel sauce, melt the butter and add about 1 ½ tablespoons of flour. Cook for a minute, add about a half pint of milk and stir vigorously and continuously to ensure no lumps. Use a whisk if necessary. As it starts to thicken you may need to add some more milk to get the right consistency – runny but not too thin. Add salt and pepper.
6. In your dish, add a small bit of meat sauce to the bottom and spread around. This ensures the pasta does not stick. Then add the lasagne sheets in a single layer, covering the whole of the bottom of your dish – you can cut the sheets if you need so they fit properly and don’t overlap. Add a few tablespoons of meat sauce and spread evenly. Then add a small amount of white sauce, some mozzarella and a grating of fresh parmesan. Then continue to layer until your dish is full (3-4 layers is enough).
7. Bake for about 45 minutes at 180 degrees. Let the lasagne sit for 5 minutes before cutting.
8. Serve with a crisp green salad and some garlic bread.