Homemade Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese

lasagne recipe

Recipe Type: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Caroline Artiss

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• Meat sauce:

• 250g minced beef

• 250g minced pork

• 1 white onion chopped

• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 350g / 2 cups passata or tinned tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 250ml / 1 cup water

• Sprig of fresh thyme

• Handful of parsley

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 tsp sugar

• Salt / pepper

• White sauce:

• 500g ricotta cheese 2 /12 cups

• 1 large egg

• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

• 2 tbsp milk

• Pinch of nutmeg

• Lasagne sheets (lasagne noodles)

• Fresh cooks quicker but if you can't get fresh then use dried and soak them for 15 minutes in hot water before using them.

• Grated Mozzarella for topping – 1 cup or big handful

• Extra Parmesan for topping

• You will need a large oven proof dish 20 x 30 cm (ish)

Instructions

1. Start by making the meat sauce

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until the onions are soft

3. Add the thyme, oregano and parsley and cook for another minute

4. Then add all the mince and cook until it has all turned brown about 3 minutes

5. Add the tomato passata and puree and water and leave to simmer for 30 – 40 minutes

6. Before the end add the milk and sugar and stir all together

7. If the sauce gets too dry just add a little more water

8. While the meat sauce is cooking you can make your white sauce

9. It’s very easy; just add all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix

10. Put the oven on to gas 4 or 180 c so that it’s nice and hot when you put the lasagna in

11. Once the meat sauce is ready you can start to assemble the lasagna

12. You will need a large oven proof dish/ start by putting a layer of meat sauce in the dish

13. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, then white sauce and continue the process until you have used everything up

14. I always like to end up with meat sauce on top

15. Sprinkle some Parmesan and plenty of mozzarella on top

16. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown

17. Serve with a simple salad

Notes

A good tip is to make the meat sauce the day before so that it takes less time to put together the next day. It also always tastes much nicer the next day, as all the flavours would have time to infuse. I also sometimes cook a double batch of meat sauce and keep half in the freezer for next time! Oh yes - I'm the time saving Queen.