Ingredients
- fresh pasta sheets (dried is fine too)
- parsley, minced
- low-moisture mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
- parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ricotta, drained (optional)
- 500 gbeef mince
- 1 largeonion, minced
- 1carrot, minced
- 2celery stalks, minced
- 10garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tsporegano
- 1 tspdried basil (or fresh)
- 1 tsppaprika
- 1 tspcumin powder
- 1 canpeeled tomatoes
- 250 mlpassata
- 400 mlstock
- parsley, minced
- 100 gbutter
- 4 tbspflour
- 3 cupsmilk, adjust to get desired consistency
- ¼ tspnutmeg
Directions
- 1
Meat Sauce: in a pan with oil over medium-high heat, add in your beef mince and leave it to brown (don't touch it or break it up). Once browned on one side, flip and continue to let it brown on the other side then break it up with your wooden spoon. Season your mince. Add in the tomato paste and bay leaf and stir for 2 minutes.
- 2
Add in the minced onion, carrot and celery, along with your spices and dried herbs and cook until the veggies are soft and translucent. Add in the passata, tin tomatoes and stock. Bring everything to a simmer, cover and let it cook for 1-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent burning at the bottom. Season to taste
- 3
Bechamel: in a pot over medium heat, melt your butter. Add in the flour and whisk it vigorously to prevent any lumps. Slowly add in the milk while continuing to whisk until you achieve your desired consistency. Add in the nutmeg and season to taste.
- 4
Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
- 5
Assemble: In a baking dish, start with spreading some sauce on the bottom then add in your first layer of pasta sheet then top with a layer of meat sauce then bechamel. Repeat 2 more times. Top the whole thing with your blend of cheeses.
- 6
Bake for 30 minutes then turn on your broiler and cook until the top is golden (please keep an eye on it). Top with more parsley and leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before digging in!