Hairy Bikers Lasagne Recipe

This Hairy Bikers Lasagne Recipe is a rich and flavorful dish, which uses minced beef and lasagne sheets. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, plus baking and resting time.

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Hairy Bikers Lasagne Recipe Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 750g minced beef
• 250ml red wine
• 600g canned tomatoes
• 1 tbsp ground oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea salt and black pepper
• To assemble:
  • 9 dried lasagne sheets
  • 300g ricotta
  • 400g mozzarella
  • 100g Parmesan, grated
  • Bunch of basil, shredded (a few whole leaves reserved for the top)

How To Make Hairy Bikers Lasagne Recipe

1. Sauté vegetables: Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan. Add the finely chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Cook over a gentle heat until the onions are translucent and soft. Then, add the finely chopped garlic and cook for a further 3–4 minutes, stirring.
2. Brown beef: Add the remaining olive oil to a large frying pan. Fry the minced beef in batches, if necessary, allowing a brown crust to develop on the underside before breaking it up and turning it over. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure searing rather than stewing.
3. Combine and simmer meat sauce: Add the browned beef to the cooked vegetables in the large pan. Turn the heat up high and add the red wine. Boil until the wine is reduced by at least half. Then, add the canned tomatoes, ground oregano, and bay leaves. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Reduce meat sauce: Remove the lid from the pan and continue to simmer the meat sauce, stirring regularly, until the sauce has reduced down and thickened. This will probably take another 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
6. First layer of assembly: To assemble the lasagne, spread one-third of the meat sauce evenly in the base of a rectangular ovenproof dish (large enough to hold 3 sheets of lasagne side-by-side).
7. Second layer of assembly: Cover the meat sauce with a single layer of dried lasagne sheets. Then, add another third of the meat sauce on top of the pasta. Spoon 100g of the ricotta cheese in small teaspoons over this sauce layer. Add 100g of the mozzarella cheese, and scatter a few shredded basil leaves.
8. Third layer of assembly: Add another layer of pasta sheets. Repeat the process with the same quantities of meat sauce (the final third), another 100g of ricotta, and another 100g of mozzarella. Scatter more shredded basil.
9. Final layer and top: Top with a final layer of pasta sheets. Cover this with the remaining meat sauce, then the remaining mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese generously on top.
10. Bake and rest: Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through and the top is a rich, dark golden brown and bubbling. Remove the lasagne from the oven and leave it to stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Recipe Tips

• Browning beef in batches: Crucial for flavor! Overcrowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it, which reduces the depth of flavor in your ragu.
• Reducing the sauce: Don’t rush this step. Allowing the meat sauce to reduce concentrates the flavors and ensures your lasagne isn’t watery.
• Freshly grated Parmesan: Using freshly grated Parmesan (not pre-grated) makes a significant difference to the flavor and melt of the cheese topping.
• Resting time: Allowing the lasagne to rest for at least 10 minutes after baking allows the layers to set and makes for cleaner slices.
• Don’t over-moisten pasta: Ensure your meat sauce isn’t too runny before assembly, as this can make the bottom pasta layer soggy.

What To Serve With Lasagne

Lasagne is a hearty meal on its own, but a simple side can complement it beautifully.

• A crisp green salad with a simple vinaigrette
• Garlic bread or crusty Italian bread
• Steamed green vegetables like broccoli or green beans
• Cherry tomato and basil salad

How To Store Lasagne

• Refrigerate: Store leftover lasagne in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Freeze: Lasagne freezes exceptionally well. Once cooled, you can freeze individual portions or the entire dish (if freezer-safe) for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in cling film and then foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven until bubbling and heated through.

FAQs

• Can I use fresh lasagne sheets? Yes, fresh lasagne sheets can be used. They generally require less cooking time in the oven, so you might need to adjust baking duration slightly.
• Can I make the meat sauce ahead of time? Absolutely! The meat sauce can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat before assembling the lasagne.
• What if I don’t have red wine? You can substitute the red wine with beef stock or even water, though the wine adds a lovely depth of flavor.
• Why is my lasagne watery? This can happen if the meat sauce isn’t reduced enough, or if the ricotta isn’t drained well. Ensure the sauce is thick before assembling.
• Can I add other vegetables? Yes, finely diced mushrooms or bell peppers can be added with the onions, celery, and carrots for extra flavor and nutrients.

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Chicken And Ham Pie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Gammon Orange Juice Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Gammon In Coke Recipe