LASAGNE

Ragu sauce
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 carrots, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 sprig rosemary
1 lb mince beef
400gm tin chopped tomatoes
1 glass red wine
6 fl.oz beef stock
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 oz parmesan cheese
6 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
Box of ready to cook lasagne sheets
Béchamel Sauce
1˝ pints of milk
2 bay leaves
1 small onion
Pinch of nutmeg
2 oz butter
2 oz plain flour

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (350°F).

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions, celery and carrots for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the beef, garlic and rosemary and cook until the mince is brown all over. Add the tomatoes then pour in the wine and the beef stock and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and black pepper.

To make the béchamel sauce, place the milk in a large non-stick saucepan, add the bay leaves, onion and nutmeg and gently bring to the boil. In a separate saucepan melt the butter and add the flour. Beat well and cook for two minutes. Remove the milk from the heat and add a little to the flour mixture. Combine well, and when all the milk has been absorbed, add a little more. Continue to do this until all the milk has been added, whisking continually.

Place a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish and cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. Cover the lasagne sheets with béchamel sauce and sprinkle over half the parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers until all the mixture has been used.

Cover the top layer with the grated cheddar cheese and put the casserole into the oven. Cook for 40 minutes then remove from oven and serve while still hot.