Marion’s Best Lasagne

Marion’s Best Lasagne

Cheesy layers, optimum beefiness, rich sauce… you guys, this lasagne is next level, and doesn’t take a whole day to make. With a few tricks and some surprising ingredients, you can enjoy the family dinner of champions.

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

2 hours

SERVES

4

Ingredients

12-19 no-boil lasagne sheets (about 375g/13 oz)
500g (1.1 lb) grated mozzarella
1 heaped cup finely grated parmesan (about 50g/1.7 oz)

Meat sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1kg (2.2 lb) beef mince
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 x 400g (14 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 x 400g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup shiro miso paste*
3 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup soy sauce
2 star anise
½ tsp dried oregano

Cheese sauce:
500g (1.1 lb) cottage cheese
2 cups finely grated parmesan cheese (about 100g/3.5 oz)
1 cup cream
¼ tsp finely grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon corn flour (cornstarch)
1 tsp sea salt

METHOD

1. Sear the beef mince

For the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a deep-frying pan over high heat. Add half the beef and spread it out in the pan. Allow to sear for 4-5 minutes or until you get a nice deep colour on the bottom of the mince. Season with salt and then flip the beef over in chunks. Allow to sear another 2-3 minutes. Then add in the rest of the beef mince and stir-fry, breaking up the cooked mince with a spatula.

2. Simmer the rich meat sauce

Add the garlic and cook for another half a minute. Then add the tomatoes, miso paste, tomato paste, soy sauce, star anise and oregano. Simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Mix the creamy cheese sauce

For the cheese sauce, whisk all the ingredients in large bowl until well combined.

4. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F.

5. Layer the lasagne

Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 3L capacity casserole or baking dish (mine is about 35cm x 7cm x 25cm). Place the lasagne sheets on top, being sure to break up the sheets to that you have an even layer. Spread one-third of the meat sauce over the lasagne sheets. Then dollop over half of the cheese sauce and spread it out in an even layer. Sprinkle with a third of the grated mozzarella. Then repeat with the another layer of lasagne sheets, one-third of the meat sauce, the other half of the cheese sauce and another third of the grated mozzarella. Then place one more layer of lasagne sheets on top. Spread over the final one third of the meat sauce.

6. Top with cheese and cover

Mix the remaining one-third of the mozzarella with the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the meat sauce. Cover with baking paper and then with foil. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.