Name: This Beef & Ricotta Lasagne recipe will become your most treasured one yet
Cook time: 115 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 4 fresh lasagne sheets (190 g); 1 cup light tasty cheese finely shredded (115 g); 1 packet mixed salad leaves to serve; 1 punnet cherry tomatoes halved to serve; meat sauce; 1 tblsp olive oil; 1 onion finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves crushed; 1 kg lean beef mince; red wine (125 ml); 2 x jars passata sauce (700 g); 2 tblsps tomato paste; 1 zucchini grated; 1 carrot peeled and grated; 200 g button mushrooms trimmed, thinly sliced; 750 g reduced-fat fresh ricotta; 2 eggs lightly beaten; ⅓ cup low fat milk (80 ml); ½ cup parmesan finely grated (50 g)

A classic lasagne that’s perfect for a family meal.

Ingredients

4 fresh lasagne sheets (190 g)

1 cup light tasty cheese finely shredded (115 g)

1 packet mixed salad leaves to serve

1 punnet cherry tomatoes halved to serve

meat sauce

1 tblsp olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 kg lean beef mince

red wine (125 ml)

2 x jars passata sauce (700 g)

2 tblsps tomato paste

1 zucchini grated

1 carrot peeled and grated

200 g button mushrooms trimmed, thinly sliced

750 g reduced-fat fresh ricotta

2 eggs lightly beaten

⅓ cup low fat milk (80 ml)

½ cup parmesan finely grated (50 g)

Method

Grease a 20cm x 32cm large ovenproof dish (18-cup capacity).

To make meat sauce, heat oil in a large stockpot over a medium to high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. Add wine. Cook, stirring, until wine is evaporated.

Reserve 1 cup passata. Add remaining passata to stockpot with paste, zucchini, carrot and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Remove cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove pot from heat. Let stand for 20 minutes to cool.

To make the ricotta mixture, combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth.

To assemble, cut one lasagne sheet crossways into six equal portions. Spread ¹⁄³ of the meat sauce over base of prepared dish. Top with one large lasagne sheet. Fill gaps using two smaller sheets. Spread ¹⁄³ of the ricotta mixture over lasagne sheets. Repeat layering with remaining meat sauce, lasagne sheets and ricotta mixture.

Pour over reserved passata sauce. Cover dish tightly with a piece of greased foil and cook in a hot oven (200C) for about 45 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Remove foil. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook for a further 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let lasagne stand for 10 minutes to cool.

Serve warm, cut into squares, with mixed salad leaves and cherry tomatoes on the side.