Slow-Cooked Beef Ragù and Béchamel Lasagna (10 Servings)

Finely dice onion, carrot, celery and two garlic cloves. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and soften vegetables for about ten minutes without browning.

Add 1kg ground beef, break it up and cook until browned; use a food thermometer to ensure ground beef reaches at least 71°C.

Mix in 800g crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup tomato paste, 240ml beef stock, three bouillon cubes, two bay leaves, 1/2 tsp each thyme and oregano, 2 tsp Worcestershire and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.

At a gentle simmer, cover and cook on low for 1 1/2–2 hours, stirring occasionally; then remove lid and simmer about 30 minutes more until thick.

Remove the two bay leaves. Add the optional 1–2 tsp sugar only if the tomato sauce needs balancing, then taste.

Melt 60g butter over medium-low heat in another pan, cook 1/2 cup flour for one minute, and gradually whisk in four cups milk until smooth.

Stir on medium heat about 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened, turn off heat and melt in two cups Gruyere or Colby, a pinch of nutmeg and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, making a pourable béchamel.

Preheat oven to 180°C and ready a roughly 33×22×7cm baking dish. Have 250g dried lasagna sheets and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella to hand.

Spread a little ragù over the base, then layer dried pasta. Add ragù and béchamel in three repeated layers, making four pasta-sheet layers in total; finish with remaining béchamel.

Sprinkle on 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake about 25 minutes at 180°C until golden and bubbling. Check the center reaches 74°C as an assembled casserole.

Rest the baked lasagna 5–10 minutes, cut into ten portions and optionally sprinkle with two tablespoons chopped parsley or basil.

Divide leftovers into shallow containers, refrigerate within two hours, eat within 3–4 days or freeze, and reheat the center to 74°C.