Erin Bury’s Dream Lasagne
Part time blog illusionist Erin thinks lasagne is junkfood, which it is if you throw it in the bin and then retrieve it to eat later, which let’s face it, we’ve all done.
Best thing: when you dream about eating junk food but didn’t actually eat it. That was the best dream lasagna I’ve ever had!
— Erin Bury (@erinbury) May 17, 2012
So without extra cheese, here’s her dream lasagne recipe.
- First make the ragu or meat sauce. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then cook the beef in two batches for about 10 mins until browned all over. Finely chop 4 slices of prosciutto, then stir through the meat mixture. Don’t be tempted to junk it, it’s not a chicken wing in a bucket or a meat pattie, it’s Italian and the only junk they do are junk bonds.
- Pour over the tomato sauce and stock, add the nutmeg, then season. Bring up to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins until the ragu looks rich and is well coated in sauce. Can be left for 3 days in the fridge or frozen for 3 months (although not if the tomato sauce has previously been frozen).
- Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. To assemble lasagne, lightly oil an ovenproof serving dish (30 x 20cm). Spoon over a third of the ragu sauce, then cover with lasagne sheets. Drizzle over about one quarter of the white sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta. Cover with the remaining half quantity of white sauce, making sure you can’t see any pasta poking through.
- Tear the mozzarella into thin strips, then scatter over the top. Arrange the rest of the prosciutto on top. Bake for 45 mins until the top is bubbling and lightly browned. (The uncooked lasagne can be frozen. If baking from frozen, add another 45 mins to the cooking time).
HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan. Add 2 onions, finely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, sliced and 1 carrot, roughly chopped. Cook for 5-7 mins over a medium heat until softened. Turn up the heat a little and stir in 2 tbsp tomato purée. Cook for 1 min, pour in 200ml white wine, then cook for 5 mins until this has reduced by two-thirds. Pour over 3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes and add 1 handful basil leaves. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins. Leave to cool, whizz in a food processor.
WHITE SAUCE
Melt 85g/3oz butter in a saucepan, stir in 85g/3oz plain flour, then cook for 2 mins. Slowly whisk in 750ml/1¼pt milk, then bring to the boil, stirring. Turn down heat, then cook until the sauce starts to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Sauce can now be cooled and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
