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Bolognese and béchamel sauce (it’s much easier than it sounds!) makes a hearty dinner for six people in one go! Satisfying to make, lasagna can also be prepared ahead – keep it in the fridge for up to a day before the final cooking, then put it into the oven to cook through to bubbling gorgeousness. 

Hands-on time: 25 minutes; Cooking time; about 1 hour; makes: 6 servings

For the Bolognese sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick or ½ small cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 ¼ cup (about 125gm) button mushrooms, chopped
• 500gm minced meat
• 1 ¼ cup red wine or grape juice
• 1 ¼ cup chicken stock (use water and stock cubes)
• 5-6 tomatoes, shopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

For the béchamel sauce

• 2 ½ cups milk
• ½ small onion
• 6 peppercorns
•  1 tej patta (bay leaf)
• 2 ½ tbsp butter
• 2 ½ tbsp flour
• Pinch of grated jaiphal (nutmeg)
• 225gm lasagna sheets
• 5 tbsp parmesan or any processed cheese (such as Britannia or Amul)

Each serving: 416 Calories, 15gm fat (7gm Saturates), 43gm carbs (10gm sugars)

1. Make the Bolognese sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the chopped onion, celery and garlic and cook for 7-8 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for 1 minute.
2. Add the minced meat and cook, stirring, until browned (be careful not to dry it out). Stir in the wine, stock, tomatoes, tomato puree and oregano. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover, then turn the heat down low and simmer gently until the met is tender and the sauce is well reduced. Check the seasoning and stir in the parsley.  

1. Preheat oven to 180*C (375*F). Make the béchamel sauce: Pour the milk into a small pan and add the onion, kali mirch and tej patta.  Bring almost to the boil, then remove from the heat and infuse for 10 minutes. Strain, reserving the infused milk but discarding the onion, kali mirch a tej patta.

1. Melt butter in a pan (don’t overdo it); and flour carefully over low heat, bit by bit, stirring to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the mix is bubbling but not coloured; remove heat. Gradually pour in the reserved milk, stirring constantly. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Stir in the jaiphal.

1. Spoon a third of the Bolognese sauce into the base of a greased baking dish. Cover with a layer of lasagna sheets, then a layer of béchamel sauce. Repeat the layers twice, finishing with a layer of béchamel sauce to cover the top completely. Great the parmesan over.

1. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Keep aside for a few minutes to allow it to cool before you portion it. Serve with a salad of mixed leaves, cucumber and finely sliced spring onion, if you like.