RAGU LASAGNE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Strip and finely chop the rosemary leaves and finely chop the bacon.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large casserole pan on a high heat. Once hot, add the rosemary and bacon and fry for 2 minutes, or until the bacon starts to crisp up, stirring regularly.
  3. Add all the minced meat, using a wooden spoon to break it up as you go. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for at least 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
  4. Place the coarse grater attachment in your food processor (or you could use a box grater instead) and grate the Cheddar, then tip into a bowl.
  5. Replace the grater with the regular blade. Trim and halve the carrots, then add to the processor and blitz to roughly the same size as the mince. Peel and halve the onions, add them to the carrot and blitz again.
  6. Tip into the pan with the mince while you get on with blitzing and adding the celery. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften, stirring regularly.
  7. Next, add the tomato purée and plum tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Fill each of the tins with water and tip into the pan. Give everything a good stir and reduce the heat to low. Leave to simmer around 2 hours, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
  8. While that ticks away, make your white sauce. Trim, wash and finely slice the leeks, then add to a pan along with 2 tablespoons of oil and the bay leaves. Stir well and season with a tiny pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
  9. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, or until sweet and softened, adding splashes of water, if needed.
  10. Add the flour and stir well to coat, then gradually add the milk, stirring continuously. Turn the heat up to medium, bring to the boil, then reduce to low and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly.
  11. Carefully transfer the sauce to the food processor and blitz until smooth and silky. Add half the grated cheese and finely grate over half the nutmeg and mix well. Season to taste.
  12. Once the ragù is ready, preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
  13. Season the ragù to taste, then transfer half into freezer bags, portioning up as appropriate for your family. Allow to cool to room temperature, then pop in the freezer for another day. It’s a good idea to freeze them flat so that you can reheat them quickly and easily. It’s also a good idea to label and date them to avoid a game of freezer roulette in a few weeks' time!
  14. To build your lasagne, spoon a quarter of the ragù into a large deep ovenproof dish (roughly 25cm by 30cm) and spread it out evenly.
  15. Spoon over a quarter of the white sauce, then snap over some lasagne sheets, making sure they completely cover the sauce in one layer. Repeat this 3 times, finishing with a layer of white sauce.
  16. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake the lasagne in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
  17. Remove the lasagne from the oven and leave to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Delicious served with a fresh green salad.

Steps:

• 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.