Classic Beef Lasagne

Credit: Whisk Media Group

Recipe by: Perfect Italiano

perfectitaliano.com.au

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210 Collected

Difficulty

Easy

Category

Pasta

Main Ingredient:

Cheese

Prep:

30 min

Cook:

1 HR, 45 MINS (PLUS 15 MINS SETTING TIME)

Serves:

6-8

Traditional beef lasagne recipe made from scratch including a slow cooked bolognese sauce, and cheesy bechamel sauce. This recipe makes one large lasagne that feeds 6 - 8 people. You can freeze half to use another time, just thaw out in the fridge and re-heat.

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Classic Beef Lasagne

Ingredients:

BASIC BOLOGNESE SAUCE

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 kg beef mince
½ cup (110 g) tomato paste
¾ cup (185 ml) stock or red wine
1 x 400 g can diced tomatoes
1 x 700 g bottle tomato passata

BECHAMEL SAUCE

1 L (4 cups) milk
1 brown onion, halved, coarsely chopped
8 fresh parsley stalks
8 whole black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
3 tbsps. (60 g) Western Star Original Butter
⅓ cup (50 g) plain flour
1 cup (100 g) Perfect Italiano™ Parmesan Grated
Pinch ground nutmeg, Salt & Pepper, to taste

Lasagne

Olive oil, extra, to grease
5 fresh lasagne sheets
1 cup (90 g) Perfect Italiano™ Mozzarella
Mixed salad leaves, to serve

Method:

BASIC BOLOGNESE SAUCE

To make the Bolognese, heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add mince and cook, stirring to break up lumps for 5 minutes or until browned
Add the tomato paste and stock or red wine to mince mixture and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until stock or wine reduces slightly
Add the diced tomato and passata and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until sauce thickens

Tips & Hints:

Bolognese recipe makes approximately 7 cups (1¾ Litres) of sauce

BECHAMEL SAUCE

Meanwhile, to make the bechamel sauce, combine the milk, onion, parsley stalks, peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse. Strain the milk mixture through a fine sieve into a large jug. Discard solids
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat
Add half of the milk mixture, whisking continuously. Place pan back on medium-high heat. Whisk until thick. Add the rest of the milk, whisking continuously. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, using a wooden spoon or spatula to stir continuously
Add the parmesan and stir until cheese melts. Taste and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, as desired

Tips & Hints:

Bechamel sauce makes about 5 cups or 1¼ litres

Lasagne

Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan-forced. Brush a rectangular 3 L (12 cup capacity) ovenproof dish with oil to lightly grease
Spread ¼ of the bechamel over the base of the prepared dish. Arrange lasagne sheet over the sauce. Top with ⅓ of the bolognese and ⅓ of the remaining bechamel. Continue layering with the remaining lasagne sheets, bolognese and bechamel, finishing with a layer of bechamel. Sprinkle with mozzarella
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until cheese melts, is golden brown, and the edges are bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside for at least 15 minutes to set
Cut the lasagne into 8 portions and serve with mixed salad leaves

Tips & Hints:

The longer you allow the lasagne to rest, the easier it will be to cut and serve

Shop Coles

Perfect Italiano: Mozzarella 250g

Perfect to add mild flavour and authentic stretch to traditional Italian recipes. Has a mild flavour and melts beautifully when you want to enjoy that traditional stretch. It's perfect in toasted panini, to top bruschetta or sprinkled throughout lasagne.

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Perfect Italiano: Grated Parmesan 125g

This pre-grated parmesan is perfect to add bold flavour to pasta and salads. Use it to add bite to dishes such as pasta, risotto, pasta sauces or salads. It can also be used in a crumb or as a garnish.

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Western Star: Original Butter

Western Star Butter is Australia's favourite butter. It's a classic, pure creamery butter with a rich satisfying, five-star taste. The velvety smooth texture and milky yellow colour sets the benchmark by which all other butters are judged. It won the Grand Dairy Award for Butter in 2012. Ideal for savoury cooking and baking.

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Shop Woolworths

Perfect Italiano: Mozzarella 150g

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Perfect Italiano: Grated Parmesan 125g

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Western Star: Original Butter

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Measures

Cup Sizes (Australian)

Cup	Metric
1/4 cup	60ml
1/3 cup	80ml
1/2 cup	125ml
1 cup	250ml

Spoon Sizes (Australian)

Spoon	Metric
1/4 teaspoon	1.25ml
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml
1 teaspoon	5ml
2 teaspoons	10ml
1 tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons)	20ml

Oven temperatures

Celsius (electric)	Celsius (fan forced)	Fahrenheit	Gas
120º	100º	250º	1	Warm – Very Slow
150º	130º	300º	2	Warm - Slow
160º	140º	325º	3	Moderately Slow
180º	160º	350º	4	Moderate
190º	170º	375º	5	Moderately Hot
200º	180º	400º	6	Hot
240º	220º	475º	7	Very Hot

If you are using a fan-forced oven please note your cooking time may be a little quicker, so a good idea is to check your food a little earlier

Liquid Measures

metric	cup	imperial
30ml		1 fluid ounce
60ml	1/4 cup	2 fluid ounce
80ml	1/3 cup	2 3/4 fluid ounce
100ml		3 1/2 fluid ounce
125ml	1/2 cup	4 fluid ounce
150ml		5 fluid ounce
180ml	3/4 cup	6 fluid ounce
200ml		7 fluid ounce
250ml	1 cup	8 3/4 fluid ounce
310ml	1 1/4 cups	10 1/2 fluid ounce
375ml	1 1/2 cups	13 fluid ounce
430ml	1 3/4 cups	15 fluid ounce
475ml		16 fluid ounce
500ml	2 cups	17 fluid ounce
625ml	2 1/2 cups	21 1/2 fluid ounce
750ml	3 cups	26 fluid ounce
1L	4 cups	35 fluid ounce
1.25L	5 cups	44 fluid ounce
1.5L	6 cups	52 fluid ounce
2L	8 cups	70 fluid ounce
2.5L	10 cups	88 fluid ounce

Dry Weights

10g	1/4 ounce
15g	1/2 ounce
30g	1 ounce
60g	2 ounce
90g	3 ounce
125g	4 ounce (1/4 pound)
155g	5 ounce
185g	6 ounce
220g	7 ounce
250g	8 ounce (1/2 pound)
280g	9 ounce
315g	10 ounce
345g	11 ounce
375g	12 ounce (3/4 pound)
410g	13 ounce
440g	14 ounce
470g	15 ounce
500g (1/2 kg)	16 ounce (1 pound)
750g	24 ounce (1 1/2 pounds)
1kg	32 ounce (2 pounds)
1.5kg	48 ounce (3 pounds)
2kg	64 ounce (4 pounds)

Cup conversions for metric & imperial

Ingredient	1 cup		1/2 cup		1/3 cup		1/4 cup
Breadcrumbs, dry	90g	2 3/4oz	45g	1 1/2oz	30g	1oz	25g	3/4oz
Butter	250g	8oz	125g	4oz	80g	2 1/2oz	60g	2oz
Cheese, shredded/grated	80g	2 1/2oz	40g	1oz	35g	1oz	25g	3/4oz
Choc bits	190g	6oz	95g	3oz	70g	2 1/4oz	55g	1 3/4oz
Coconut, desiccated	85g	2 3/4oz	45g	1 1/2oz	35g	1oz	20g	1/2oz
Flour, plain/self-raising	150g	4 3/4oz	75g	2 1/2oz	50g	1 1/2oz	40g	1 1/2oz
Rice, uncooked (long-grain/basmati/jasmine)	200g	6 1/2oz	100g	3oz	70g	2 1/4oz	50g	1 1/2oz
Sour cream	235g	7 1/2oz	125g	4oz	85g	2 1/2oz	65g	2oz
Sugar, brown – lightly packed	160g	5oz	80g	2 1/2oz	60g	2oz	45g	1 1/2oz
Sugar, brown – firmly packed	200g	6 1/2oz	100g	3oz	70g	2 1/4oz	55g	1 3/4oz
Sugar, caster	220g	7oz	115g	3 3/4oz	80g	2 1/2oz	60g	2oz
sugar, icing	150g	4 3/4oz	80g	2 1/2oz	60g	2oz	45g	1 1/2oz
sugar, white	225g	7oz	110g	3 1/2oz	80g	2 1/2oz	60g	2oz
sultanas	170g	5 1/2oz	90g	3oz	65g	2oz	45g	1 1/2oz
yoghurt	260g	8 1/4oz	130g	4oz	90g	3oz	70g	2 1/4oz

Common Ingredients by Weight

Ingredient (cup)	Metric	Imperial
Plain flour	150g	5 1/2 oz
Self-raising flour	150g	5 1/2 oz
Cornflour	150g	5 1/2 oz
Caster sugar	220g	7 3/4 oz

Brown sugar firmly packed	"220g	7 3/4 oz
White sugar	220g	7 3/4 oz
Icing sugar	160g	5 1/2 oz

Sour cream	235g	8 1/4 oz
Grated cheddar cheese	125g	4 1/2 oz
Grated Parmesan cheese	88g	3 oz
Butter	240g	8 1/2 oz
Yoghurt	280g	10oz
Choc chips	190g	6oz

Rice (cooked)	165g	5 3/4 oz
Rice (uncooked)	200g	7 oz
Couscous (cooked)	200g	7 oz

Ingredient (cup)	Metric	Imperial
Polenta (uncooked)	170g	6 oz
Rolled oats (cooked)	90 g	3 1/4 oz
Fresh breadcrumbs	50 g	1 1/4 oz
Packet breadcrumbs	100g	3 1/2 oz
Cup lentils (uncooked)	200g	7 oz
Dried beans	160g	5 1/2 oz
Pearl barley	220g	7 3/4 oz

Desiccated coconut	90 g	3 1/4 oz
Almond or hazelnut	125g	"4 1/2 oz
Chopped almonds	150g	5 1/4 oz
Chopped walnuts	120g	4 1/4 oz
Sultanas	160g	5 1/2 oz
Fresh herbs	40 g	1 1/2 oz

*Cup weight can change depending on type of herb and whether leaves are whole or chopped.

Length

Millimetres	Inches	(Approx)
3 mm	1/8	inch
6 mm	1/4	inch
8 mm	5/16	inch
10 mm	3/8	inch
13 mm	1/2	inch
15 mm	5/8	inch
19 mm	3/4	inch
22 mm	7/8	inch
30 mm	1	inch
50 mm	2	inches
100 mm	4	inches
250 mm	10	inches
500 mm	19 1/2	inches