LASAGNE RECIPE RECIPES

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6. Put half the oil in a large bowl and add the courgettes, aubergine and peppers. Season and toss the vegetables to coat in the oil. Transfer to a large roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes until tender, turning once.

Meanwhile, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large deep saucepan and fry the onion and garlic over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until very soft but not brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and 200ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Stir the spinach into the hot tomato sauce until just wilted. Remove from the heat and add the roasted vegetables and beans. Season to taste. Reserve half the mixture for later use, or freeze. Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

To assemble, spread one-quarter of the white lasagne sauce in the base of a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Top with a single layer of lasagne sheets, cutting them to fit if necessary. Spoon over half the vegetable sauce, followed by another quarter of the white sauce. Repeat the layers of lasagne sheets, vegetable sauce and white sauce once more, then top with a final layer of lasagne sheets.

Spread the remaining white sauce over the top of the lasagne sheets. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes, until golden and tender. Season, add the mince and cook for a further 5-6 minutes until browned all over.

Stir in the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes. Rinse the tomato cartons out with a good splash of water and add this to the pan. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10-12 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Meanwhile, mix 2 tbsp of the milk with the cornflour into a paste. Pour the remaining milk into a pan, season and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cornflour paste and soft cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened, then stir in the cheese – reserving a little for the top of the lasagne.

To assemble, spread a third of the meat sauce over the base of an 18cm baking dish. Top with 3 of the lasagne sheets, then a third of the white sauce. Continue with the rest of the ingredients, before sprinkling over the reserved cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6 for 35-40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

*When compared to our standard lasagne recipe, this recipe has more than 30% less calories.

For the Bolognese sauce (can be made up to two days ahead)

1. Heat a heavy-based pot and, when hot, add the oil and butter, then the onion. Saute for a few minutes until soft then add the carrot and celery, then the garlic. Cook gently until they have softened and are lightly golden.

2. Add the mince, crumbling it in the pot with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and cook briefly until the meat is no longer red, but do not brown it. It's important to salt the meat at this stage to extract its juices for the sauce and to cook the meat gently so it retains delicacy.

3. Now add the wine and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes on high heat before adding the rosemary and tomatoes. When it starts to bubble, turn the heat to the barest of simmers, partly cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Stir the pot from time to time, adding some water if necessary.

For the bechamel (can be made ahead)

This is not a gluggy, tasteless white glue. When made well it is a delicious and velvety smooth milky sauce delicately flavoured with bay, peppercorns and nutmeg.

1. In a pot, melt the butter then add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes but do not let the flour colour. Take a whisk and pour in the cold milk all at once, whisking constantly.

2. Continue to whisk as the sauce heats and comes to the boil. Initially you will have lumps, but as the mixture comes to the boil, the sauce will thicken and become smooth. Add a good pinch of salt, the bay leaf, peppercorns and grated nutmeg if desired.

3. Turn the heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should have a thickish pouring consistency. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it becomes. Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap to avoid a skin forming. This sauce can also be made ahead and lasts for a few days. Reheat over a low heat and stir constantly.

To assemble

I find it easiest if the bolognese and bechamel sauces are not cold, so if you need to reheat them, do so gently. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil while you roll out the pasta dough.

Roll and cook the dough

1. Cut the dough in half and roll it out to the thinnest setting. Cut the sheets in 25cm lengths and lay out on a lightly dusted workbench while you roll out the rest. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and place a large bowl of cold water near the stove. When the water is boiling rapidly, drop in a few sheets at a time. Cook until the pasta is al dente, scoop out with a slotted spoon and put into the cold water. Continue until all the pasta has been cooked. Drain the cooked pasta sheets and lay them out on tea towels or a tablecloth and pat dry.

2. Preheat oven to 180C.

3. Use a large baking dish with high sides (I use a 25cm x 35cm dish). Smear it generously with butter and spread a thin coating of bechamel and bolognese sauce on the bottom. Sprinkle on a little grated parmesan and cover with a layer of pasta sheets, cutting them to fit the dish.

4. Top with another thin layer of bechamel and bolognese and a sprinkle of parmesan. The key here is not to be heavy-handed with the sauces and cheese, or else the lasagne will become overly rich and clumsy. Continue until you have about six layers of pasta or you have almost run out of ingredients.

5. For the topping you can go two ways; either use just the bechamel and a generous sprinkling of parmesan and a few dots of butter or a last thin layer of bolognese, parmesan and butter. I use whatever I have left over, but that depends on how much bolognese has been mopped up with bread for a snack before the lasagne gets finished.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the lasagne has a light brown crust.* Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving directly from the dish.

*Note: I find the lasagne turns out best when it stands for 30 minutes before baking. You can even prepare it the day before and then bake it, but you will need to cook it longer and at a slightly lower temperature.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic and carrot, then finely slice the pancetta or bacon. Pick the herbs.
3. Slowly fry the pancetta or bacon and cinnamon in a large casserole pan over a medium heat until golden, then add the onion, carrot, garlic and herbs and 4 tablespoons of oil.
4. Mix together, add the beef and pork, cook for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and wine (or you can use water, if you prefer). Add the bay and bring to the boil.
5. Scrunch up a wet sheet of greaseproof paper, then and place it on top of the pan and cover with a lid. Place in the oven for 2 hours or simmer on the hob over a gentle heat for around 1½ hours, or until thickened and reduced.
6. Halve, deseed and roughly chop the butternut squash, then drizzle with oil. Bash the coriander seeds and dried chilli then sprinkle over, with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
7. Place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for the last 45 minutes of cooking the sauce. When the sauce is done, season to taste and put to one side.
8. For the white sauce, finely chop the anchovies, then mix with the crème fraîche and a handful of Parmesan, then season with salt and pepper – you may need to loosen the mixture with a little milk.
9. Turn the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
10. To assemble the lasagne, rub a lasagne dish with oil, lay some sheets of lasagne over the bottom and drape them over the sides. Add a layer of meat, a little white sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
11. Break the butternut squash into pieces and use this as one layer, then repeat the layers, finishing with a layer of pasta covered in white sauce.
12. Tear over the mozzarella and sprinkle with some extra Parmesan, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden. Serve with a seasonal salad.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
2. Cover the dried porcini with boiling water and leave to rehydrate.
3. Halve the squash, then scoop out and wash the seeds. Drain and pat dry, then, on a tray, toss with a drizzle of oil, the fennel seeds, and a pinch each of chilli flakes, sea salt and black pepper.
4. Chop each squash into 8 chunky wedges, then toss on a large tray with a little oil, salt, pepper and another good pinch of chilli flakes. Roast the squash for 1 hour, or until golden, adding the tray of seeds for the last 30 minutes.
5. For the ragù, peel the onions, carrots and celery, then chop it all into 1cm dice and place in a large casserole pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
6. Saving a sprig each of rosemary and thyme, tie the rest of the woody herbs together with string. Add to the pan for a few minutes, then pour in the wine and leave to cook away.
7. Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands, then pour in 2 tins’ worth of water. Leave to tick away for 30 minutes, then drain and add the beans. Cook for a further 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring and mashing occasionally, adding splashes of water to loosen, if needed. Season to perfection.
8. Meanwhile, prick the whole aubergine all over with a fork, then place directly over a flame on the hob, turning regularly with tongs until softened and blackened all over. Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave for 5 minutes. When the time’s up, remove the clingfilm, pour the juices into the pan, then halve the aubergine lengthways, scrape out all the flesh, and stir into the pan.
9. For the white sauce, peel and finely slice the garlic, and clean and finely slice the mushrooms. Pick and finely chop the reserved rosemary and thyme.
10. Place a saucepan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic for 1 minute, then add the herbs, mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until lightly golden, stirring regularly.
11. Add the porcini and soaking liquor (discarding just the last gritty bit), leave to bubble and cook away, then turn the heat down to low, stir in the crème fraîche and cook gently for a few minutes. Remove from the heat, then finely grate and stir in half the hard cheese.
12. To assemble, remove the herbs from the ragù, finely grate and stir in the remaining hard cheese, then generously spoon 2 ladlefuls into the bottom of a 25cm x 30cm lasagne dish. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of white sauce, tear over a quarter of the squash, scatter over a handful of spinach, and top with a layer of pasta.
13. Repeat 3 further times, finishing with the remaining creamy sauce. Loosen the edges with a spatula to push some of the sauce down the sides, then grate over the Cheddar. Halve the tomatoes, quickly toss in oil, and dot over the top, then bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
14. Leave to stand uncovered for 30 minutes while you make the pesto. Rip the top leafy half of the herbs into a food processor. Break in the hard cheese, peel, finely slice and add the garlic and tip in your chosen nuts. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and whiz until very finely chopped, then stir through 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. Have a taste and tweak to your liking (this makes more than you need, so freeze any leftovers for tasty meals on other days).
15. Serve the lasagne with a dollop of the pesto and a scattering of crispy seeds. Good with a fresh, seasonal salad.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6. Put half the oil in a large bowl and add the courgettes, aubergine and peppers. Season and toss the vegetables to coat in the oil. Transfer to a large roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes until tender, turning once.

Meanwhile, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large deep saucepan and fry the onion and garlic over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until very soft but not brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and 200ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Stir the spinach into the hot tomato sauce until just wilted. Remove from the heat and add the roasted vegetables and beans. Season to taste. Reserve half the mixture for later use, or freeze. Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

To assemble, spread one-quarter of the white lasagne sauce in the base of a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Top with a single layer of lasagne sheets, cutting them to fit if necessary. Spoon over half the vegetable sauce, followed by another quarter of the white sauce. Repeat the layers of lasagne sheets, vegetable sauce and white sauce once more, then top with a final layer of lasagne sheets.

Spread the remaining white sauce over the top of the lasagne sheets. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden and bubbling.