elliottfamily.me From Scratch

Recipe

Lasagne

Turkey mince lasagne with apple juice in the sauce and a cheesy béchamel.

Cook 30 min · 190 °C fan

You'll need

Meat sauce

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 500 g turkey mince
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 600 ml passata
  • 300 ml apple juice
  • 1 tsp tomato puree
  • Worcestershire sauce, a couple of tbsp, plus extra to taste
  • Italian mixed herbs
  • 2 tsp sugar, to taste
  • oil, for frying

Béchamel

  • 75 g unsalted butter
  • 75 g plain flour
  • 1 litre milk
  • cheese, grated, for the sauce and topping
  • salt and pepper

To assemble

  • 1 pack lasagne sheets

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • medium saucepan
  • square ovenproof dish

Method

Meat sauce

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
  2. Sauté the onion and carrot for a few minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the turkey mince and fry until opaque.
  5. Add the thyme, passata and apple juice, and bring to the boil.
  6. Add the tomato puree and a couple of tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
  7. Boil and reduce for about 15 minutes.
  8. Add sugar and extra Worcestershire sauce to taste.

Béchamel and assembly

  1. Preheat the oven to 190 °C (fan).
  2. Soak the lasagne sheets in boiling water to start softening them, moving them often so they don’t stick together.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour to make a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk and some cheese, in batches, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. It should be a thick, creamy sauce.
  4. Spread a third of the mince over the base of the dish (we use the square Le Creuset), top with a quarter of the béchamel and cover with lasagne sheets.
  5. Repeat to make two more layers. Finish with béchamel and a sprinkle of grated cheese.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.