Meatball Lasagne

I watched a memorable episode of Masterchef Australia last year where the masterclass ( on a friday ) was Georges lasagne. It looked so different that I made it a couple of days later. Wow, it was complicated, expensive and seriously underdelivered. Everyone made all the right noises but I had spent the best part of the afternoon and I wasn't impressed. Far too fussy for my liking. Anyway, I decided to have another go and just kind of make it up as I went along and here it is. This recipe will feed 8.

For The Meatballs:
500g Lean minced beef steak
500g Minced pork
1 Tspn mixed Italian herbs
Salt and pepper

For the Tomato Sauce:
2 Tins chopped plum tomatoes
1 Tube tomato paste
1 Large onion chopped but not too fine
4 Fat garlic cloves crushed
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil for frying
1 Tspn dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Couple of cans ( tomato ) of water

12 or so sheets lasagne


For the Cheesy sauce:
570mls Milk ( I used half milk half single cream )
40g Plain flour
Half a teaspoon Dijon mustard
40g Butter
100g Strong Cheddar - grated
25g Parmesan - grated
Shake of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Mix all meatball ingredients together and form into walnut sized balls. Pop into a bowl, cover and put into the fridge until sauce is cooked.
Fry onion and garlic until soft but not brown, add everything else and bubble away until sauce is thick, taste every now and again to make sure of the seasoning.
Add the meatballs carefully into the tomato sauce and cook for about 35mins just bubbling until the meatballs are cooked.
When meatballs are cooked, remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Place  the first 4 cheese sauce ingredients into a saucepan and, over a low heat , whisk until sauce is thick and bubbling.
Take from the heat and add most of the cheese, saving a little for the top of the Lasagne.                                  Stir cheese in until all melted and return to a low heat to cook for about 6 minutes.
Add salt and pepper and cayenne pepper to taste and start to assemble the Lasagne

Pour about half the meatball mix into a large heatproof dish and cover with 4 or so sheets of pasta.
Pour about half the cheese sauce onto the pasta and place 4 more sheets of pasta on top of the sauce.
Place the remaining meatball mix on top and then 4 more sheets of pasta.
Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the entire dish and crumble the cheese over.
Shake a little cayenne pepper for colour and place in the oven for about 45 minutes.

Lovely served with garlic bread and salad.

Debs