members recipes

Ingredients
Serves 6

Bechamel Sauce:

600ml milk
1 onion,coarsely chopped
4 fresh parsley stalks
8 whole black peppercorns
2 dried bay leaves
3 whole cloves
50g butter
2.5 tbsp plain flour
Pinch ground nutmeg
Salt and a little white pepper
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Meat sauce:

500g minced beef (or beef and pork)
1 med onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1 large handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
A few of sprigs of rosemary & thyme, tied together
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp sun dried tomato paste
1 glass of red wine
Salt and pepper to season
A little olive oil
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9 lasagne sheets
2 balls of buffalo mozzarella, cut into slices
About 1 handful of finely grated parmesan cheese

Method
1. Prepare the meat sauce. Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy based pan/casserole and gently fry the onion and garlic till soft.
2. Add the minced beef and fry over a medium heat till lightly browned.
3. Add the tomato paste and fry for a further minute.
4. Pour in the red wine and cook till most of the wine has evaporated.
5. Add the tomatoes and herbs then season well with some salt and pepper.
6. Cover and cook over a low heat for approx 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Check occassionally to make sure it\'s not drying out, adding a LITTLE bit of water if necessary. Remove the herb bundle once it\'s finished cooking. (You can prepare the sauce the night before you need it and keep it in the fridge).

7. Prepare the bechamel sauce:

Bechamel Sauce:

8.Combine the milk,chopped onion,parsley stalks,bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
9. Take the pan off the heat and set it aside for about 20 mins to allow flavours to develop. Strain the milk through a fine sieve.
10. Melt the butter in a saucepan (medium heat). Add the flour bit by bit, stirring all the time. Keep stirring the mixture for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
11.Now start to add the strained milk, bit by bit, whisking with a balloon whisk to keep the sauce nice and smooth.
12. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and let it cook for a further 5 minutes or so, stirring all the time, till the bechamel is smooth and glossy.
13. When it\'s ready, season with salt, white pepper and a little grated nutmeg.

Preparing the lasagne:

14. Preheat the oven to 180C.
15. Spread a little of the meat sauce on the bottom of a large lasagne dish and lay 3 lasagne sheets on top.
16. Spoon over about half of the meat sauce, adding about 1/3 of the bechamel.
17. Add a little mozzarella and a light sprinkling of parmesan.
18. Add the next layer of pasta and repeat. Finish with a layer of pasta,bechamel, mozzarella and parmesan.
19. Bake at 180C for approx 40 - 50 mins. Allow to rest for a few minutes before cutting.