My Favourite Family Recipe: Lasagne

I'm not ashamed to admit that ChatGPT has become the executive meal extraordinaire of our family. I use it for all our recipes, meal planning and for deciding what to make out of random ingredients I find in the fridge. This recipe is one of those extraordinary finds - one that ticks all the boxes of comfort, indulgence, perfect taste and one that all five of us look forward to every week. Enjoy!

Servings: 4–6
Prep + Cook Time (incl. ragu & béchamel): 1 hour 15 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: ~2 hours (including resting)

Ingredients

For the lamb ragu:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 500g lamb mince
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, enhances lamb’s flavour)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano or thyme
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 200ml lamb or chicken stock (or red wine for richness)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt & black pepper to taste

For the béchamel:

• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml whole milk (warmed)
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 50g parmesan or pecorino, grated

For layering:

• 9–12 lasagne sheets (fresh or dried)
• 100g mozzarella or ricotta (optional, for extra creaminess)
• Extra parmesan for topping

Method

Step 1: Make the lamb ragu

• Heat olive oil in a large pan.
• Fry onion, carrot, and celery until softened (8–10 minutes).
• Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Increase the heat, add lamb mince, and brown well.
• Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, and oregano.
• Pour in chopped tomatoes and stock (or wine). Add bay leaf.
• Simmer gently for 30–40 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.

Step 2: Make the béchamel

• In a saucepan, melt butter.
• Stir in flour to make a roux (1–2 minutes).
• Gradually whisk in warm milk until smooth.
• Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
• Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then stir in cheese.

Step 3: Assemble the lasagne

• Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan).
• In a baking dish, layer:
  1. A spoonful of ragu
  2. Lasagne sheets
  3. Béchamel
• Repeat 2–3 times.
• Finish with béchamel on top.
• Scatter extra parmesan, mozzarella or ricotta.

Step 4: Bake

• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
• Rest for 10 minutes before serving.