Lasagne al forno

Ingredients

• olive oil for frying
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 sticks of celery finely chopped
• 100g bacon chopped
• 500g mined beef
• 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
• 150ml beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp chopped oregano
• salt and black pepper
• 175g lasagne verde
• 50g grated Parmesan Cheese

for the sauce

• 600ml hot white sauce
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 225g cottage cheese sieved

Method

1. Oven setting 190C, 375F, Gas Mark 5
2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a frying pan.  
3. Add the onion, garlic and celery and fry until golden.
4. Add the bacon and continue to fry until crisp.
5. Add the beef and fry until browned.
6. Stir in the tomatoes, stock and tomato puree, sugar, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Bring to the boil stirring continuously.  Then lower the heat, half cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Cook the lasagne according to the packet instructions though I normally use it as supplied but then you have to ensure that the lasagne sheets are covered with sauce.
9. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and nutmeg.  Allow to cool slightly and then stir in the cottage sheet.
10. Arrange the meat, pasta and prepared sauce in layers in a buttered baking dish, starting with a layer of meat, the pasta, then sauce.
11. Sprinkle the top layer of sauce with Parmesan.
12. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbling.
13. Serve straight from the baking dish.