INGREDIENTS
Lasagne sheets
500 g Pasta Tipo 00 plain flour
15 g salt flakes
1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
250 g whole eggs (approximately 5 eggs)
Semolina, for dusting
Beef ragu
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
300 g brown onions, peeled, finely diced
150 g carrots, finely diced
150 g celery, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt flakes
1 kg beef mince
750 g pork mince
3 bay leaves
125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
1 x 400 g tin peeled tomatoes, chopped
200 g (¾ cup) tomato paste
1 bunch basil, leaves picked
Béchamel sauce
120 g unsalted butter
120 g plain flour
1 litre full cream milk
½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
½ tsp salt flakes
To serve
Olive oil, for greasing
50 g mozzarella, crumbled
50 g grated parmesan
METHOD
Lasagne sheets
1. Combine all ingredients into a freestanding mixer with dough hook attachment.
Mix on low speed until it forms a dough.
2. Place pasta into a large vacuum sealing bag. Place into the vacuum sealing drawer and seal on level 3 and vacuum on level 3. Leave dough at room temperature for at least 6 hours for the gluten to soften.
3. Using a pasta machine. Divide pasta into four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the pasta through the machine starting with the widest setting.
4. Continue feeding pasta through the machine, reducing the settings each time until the pasta is 3mm thick. Dust sheets with semolina.
5. Work with remaining pasta until you have enough sheets to line and layer your lasagne tray.
Beef ragu
1. Heat half the oil in a large deep-sided frying pan on medium-high heat, induction setting 7. Add onions, carrots and celery, garlic and salt flakes. Cook until translucent, approximately 10 minutes.
2. Remove vegetables from the pan. Add remaining oil, beef and pork mince and continue cooking until mince has browned, breaking up meat as you go. Add the meat in stages to prevent overcrowding the pan.
3. Add all the meat back into the pan along with the vegetables and bay leaves. Pour over wine and bring to the boil on high heat, induction setting 8, until wine has reduced by half.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and basil leaves. Bring to the boil on medium-high heat induction setting 7, then reduce to a simmer on low heat, induction setting 3 and cook for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Béchamel sauce
1. In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat, induction setting 7. Add the flour and cook until the flour slightly changes colour to achieve a blonde roux.
2. Whisk in the milk, ensuring there are no lumps and then bring to the boil.
3. Once boiled, reduce heat to low heat, induction setting 3 and cook for 20 minutes, stirring well until sauce thickens and is smooth. Stir in nutmeg and salt.
4. Reduce heat to induction setting, Keep Warm. Place a piece of baking paper or cling wrap directly on the surface of the sauce and keep warm until ready to serve.
Assembly
1. Preheat oven on Fan Plus at 180°C with a rack placed on shelf level 2.
2. Grease the sides and base of a gourmet casserole dish.
3. Spoon a thin layer of ragu over the casserole base, then lay single sheets of pasta to cover.
4. Spread another layer of ragu covering the pasta sheets.
5. Spoon béchamel over the ragu and add another layer of pasta sheets.
6. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until you have filled the tray. Top with crumbled mozzarella and parmesan.
7. Place into the combi steam oven on shelf level 2 and create a user programme:
Step 1: Select Combination Mode + Fan Plus at 180°C + 45 minutes + 80% moisture
Step 2: Combination Mode + Grill setting 3 + 10 minutes + 40% moisture
8. Remove from the combi steam oven and allow to cool at room temperature slightly, before serving.
Additional appliance methods
• Lasagne can be cooked uncovered in a Moisture Plus oven at 160°C with three bursts of steam released every 15 minutes.
Hints and tips
• This is a drier pasta dough designed to absorb lots of sauce. If too dry, add more olive oil or an extra egg yolk.
• Pre-bought fresh pasta sheets are a great alternative to making your own.
• Pasta dough, ragu and baked lasagne freeze well for up to 2 months.