Lasagna

Ingredients for the Lasagne (Part 1)

Tomato sauce

• 500 g minced beef

• 1 medium onion

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 100 ml red wine

• 800ml tomatoes, pureed

• 400 g lasagne pasta

• 100 g mozzarella

• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese

• pepper , salt to taste

Béchamel

• 1 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp fine flour

• 5 dl milk

• nutmeg to taste

• pepper to taste

• salt to taste

Steps

Melt the butter, add the flour and mix quickly. Add the room temperature milk little by little until you have a not too runny sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and grind a little nutmeg.

Fry the chopped onion in olive oil. When the onion is browned, add the minced beef and season with salt and pepper. Add the thinly sliced garlic and a little red wine. Cover with the tomatoes and leave to simmer and thicken for 40 minutes.

Use a baking dish the same size as the width of the lasagne. Brush the bottom of this pan with a little béchamel sauce and a drizzle of olive oil. Top with a layer of pasta base, meat ragout, then the béchamel and another layer of pasta. Do this again, and the final finishing layer is a row of pasta sheets, sprinkled with the remaining béchamel and cheese.

Transfer to the preheated oven, cover with aluminium foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the lid at the end to brown the cheese.

Napolitana Tomato Sauce (Part 2)

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• Salt to taste

• Pepper to taste

• 1-2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

• 2-3 fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Steps

Start by opening the can of whole peeled tomatoes and roughly crushing them with a fork or your hands, keeping the juices.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, along with their juices, into the saucepan.

Add the dried oregano and dried basil to the mixture. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can also add a teaspoon or two of sugar at this point.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for at least 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer you let it simmer, the deeper the flavors will become.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. If using, garnish with a few leaves of fresh basil before serving.