Best Ever Beef Lasagna

The other day, I decided to make lasagna for dinner to use up the pot of ricotta cheese I have.

E was out for drinks with his mates. So I had to watch the kids while I prepared and cooked throughout the hour and an half that I was in the kitchen.

There was so much snatching, screaming and crying from both boys as they fought over every toy! It drove me crazy!

Thankfully, the lasagna turned out to be the best I have ever made.

Between the kids and me, we ate so much! Too much! 

The 4yo had the largest portion he ever had in one meal and lapped up everything within ten minutes. 

Even little Chip finished up all the beef, pasta and tomatoes on his plate.

I was the happiest mummy that night!

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Edited to add: 

I am very flattered by the numerous requests from friends within an hour of posting this entry, asking me to share this recipe! :) 

I gotta add that this recipe is my own, adapted from many others which I've tried. This is by far, my favourite. It is VERY POPULAR with my kids, who normally won't eat tomatoes and beef.

My Family Recipe For Beef Lasagna

Ingredients:

6-9 sheets no-precook lasagne (depending on size of each sheet and width of your lasagne dish)
30g freshly grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese

Meat Sauce
olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped (I often omit this as hubby dislikes it)
400g lean minced beef
600g canned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 sprigs thyme
2-3 bay leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

White Sauce
40g unsalted butter
40g plain flour
350g fresh milk
1 tub 250g Ricotta cheese
50g freshly grated Cheddar cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

To Make Meat Sauce
1. Saute onion, carrot and celery over low heat in olive oil for 3-4 min. Add garlic and beef and cook till meat is browned.
2. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce and simmer, covered, for 20 - 30 min.
3. Remove lid and cook further, stirring occasionally till most liquid has evaporated.
4. Season if required. Discard herbs and take off heat to cool.

To Make White Sauce
1. Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour. Keep stirring for 1 min.
2. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil and simmer for 3 -4 min till liquid thickens.
3. Remove from heat, stir in grated Cheddar cheese and mix in Ricotta cheese. Season and set aside.

To Assemble
1. Cover bottom of large lasagne dish with a couple tbsp of each sauce.
2. Cover with 3 sheets of lasagne. Spoon over half the meat sauce and cover with a third of white sauce.
3. Cover with 3 more sheets of lasagne. Now with remaining meat sauce and another third of white sauce.
4. Cover with last 3 sheets of lasagne and finish off with remaining white sauce and then sprinkle Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven of 180 deg cel for 30-35 minutes, until golden and bubbling. 

Try it and let me know your verdict. :)