These components are the building blocks for a perfect homemade lasagne.
Creating a delicious homemade lasagne starts with preparing each component separately. While it requires some time and effort, making these components from scratch elevates the final dish to restaurant quality. Many of these can be prepared in advance, making the final assembly much easier.
Pasta
We have made our own pasta for nearly 20 years. I can probably get it done for simple pasta inside 15 minutes. It definitely wasn't that short on the first attempt
Ingredients
- 150g double 00 flour
- 150g semolina flour
- 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Attach a dough hook to a food mixer
- Add ingredients, eggs last
- Mix until it forms a dough ball
- Wrap in cling film and put in fridge
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: None | Resting time: 30 minutes
Cheese Sauce
Denise puts her finger in this sauce each time I make it. It is not hard to do but I recommend you go slow pouring in the milk
Ingredients
- 60g butter
- 50g flour
- 500ml whole milk
- 125g grated cheddar cheese
- 20g grated parmesan cheese
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
Method
- Melt butter and flour in a saucepan on medium heat
- Gradually add milk a bit at a time using a whisk
- It will form a ball when stirring with a bubble whisk
- Then add some more and repeat
- When you get to halfway and the mixture no longer forms a ball add rest
- Wait until mixture starts to bubble and thickens
- Take off heat and add cheeses stirring straight away
- Add salt and nutmeg
- Let it cool out of sight of wife. Store in fridge
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: None | Resting time: 30 minutes
Spinach Layer
This layer goes in the middle of the dish, again quick to make and can be made in advance.
Ingredients
- 300g bag of Spinach leaves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 40g parmesan cheese
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
Method
- Cook spinach in a dry pan until it wilts
- Allow to cool
- Mix all ingredients together
- Store in fridge
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: None | Resting time: 30 minutes
Marinated Mushrooms
This makes the ragu a tiny bit different from the ragu sauce people are familiar with
Ingredients
- 200g button mushrooms
- 180ml vinegar
- 90ml virgin oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 bay leaf
Method
- Chop mushroom into slices or quarters
- Put in jar and add rest of the ingredients
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: None | Resting time: 30 minutes
Ragu (Meat Sauce)
This is how I make ragu.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
- 6 rashers of bacon
- 1 brown onion
- 3 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
- 500g beef
- 2 glasses of red wine
- 400g tin of tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 12 sun-dried tomatoes blitzed
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Squirt of HP sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 recipe of marinated mushrooms
- A few basil leaves
Method
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat
- Add the onions and garlic, frying until softened
- In a separate pan, add second extra virgin oil
- Add meat and wine cooking until a third of the wine remains
- Add onion mixture, tin of tomatoes, bay leaves and mixed herbs to meat
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, HP sauce and salt
- Cover and simmer on a low heat for 1½ hours
- Add mushrooms and simmer for 30 minutes
- When done, add basil leaves
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 2 hours | Resting time: None
