Lasagne Pasta Bake

So, there’s not much pasta to be had in the shops so you can’t be choosy about the type you’re using. My boyfriend casually mentioned yesterday that we hadn’t eaten lasagne in ages (probably years) and today I got a delivery from a local fresh food market who have had to close but are rolling with the punches and reinventing as a delivery service. We got onions, carrots, peppers and mince (among other lovely things) – so I had all the fresh basics for lasagne! 

Pre-cheese phase

Now we had  zero lasagne sheets in the house, but this lockdown requires adaptability and inventiveness. AND bonus, I prefer it with shaped pasta.

Serves 6

Ingredients for the Meat Sauce

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion (white or red),  diced small
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 pepper (any colour), diced small
• 4 slices salami/pepperoni/bacon rashers (optional), diced small
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g beef mince
• 1 tbsp pesto
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (plus ¼ of a can of water, swilled around the empty can)
• 150ml red wine

Ingredients for the White Sauce

• 60g butter
• 30g plain flour
• 500ml milk
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp parmesan, grated

To assemble

• 350g pasta (I used fusilli which worked well but whatever you’ve got.
• A few handfuls of grated mozzarella

Method

Begin with the meat sauce because it takes the longest. Heat the oil in a large pot, and prepare the vegetables. Add the vegetables and stir well.

Chop and add the salami/pepperoni/bacon, if using. Let everything cook for about 10 minutes until softened and smelling amazing. Throw in the garlic and stir, allow to cook a few minutes more.

Add the mince and cook until mainly browned through. Drain off fat.

Add in the pesto, paprika and oregano, and season well. Stir until combined. Then throw in the chopped tomatoes, the extra water and wine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Allow to bubble gently for 35 minutes. In the meantime, make the white sauce.

Heat the butter in a pot. Add in the flour, mixing briskly. Take off the heat and slowly add the milk, stirring constantly.

Return to the heat and bring to a low simmer. Season and add the parmesan. Turn down the heat and let thicken, stirring regularly.

Now, boil the kettle and cook the pasta, and also preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

It's a three pan situation, hope you don't mind dishes!

Everything should be ready about the same time.

Drain the pasta and put it in a big bowl. Stir through most of the white sauce, reserving about 6 tbsp.

Add in the meat sauce and give it all a good stir.

Put in a large dish, or decant into 2 smaller dishes if you’re feeding less people and want leftovers.

Swirl over the remaining white sauce.

Double trouble

Scatter over some mozzarella.

If using a large deep dish and cooking it all together – bake for 30-35 minutes, if using smaller dishes then 20-25 minutes will do. It’s done when the cheese is melted and it’s all bubbly.

Serve up and dig in!