Lasagne

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

800g  Beef Mince

2 Onions, roughly chopped 

4 sticks Celery, diced (optional) 

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed 

2 level Tbsp Plain Flour

150ml Beef Stock

1 Tbsp Redcurrant Jelly 

3 Tbsp Tomato Purée

1 Tbsp chopped Thyme

2 x 400g cans Chopped Tomatoes

For the White Sauce

50g  Butter

50g Plain Flour

750ml hot Full Fat Milk

2 Tsp Dijon mustard

50g Parmesan, finely grated 

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

For the Lasagne

12 Lasagne sheets 

75g mature Cheddar, grated 

Preheat the oven to160C.

For the Ragu

Heat a large frying pan until hot and add the oil.

Cook the mince until browned all over.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate

Add the onion, celery (if using) and garlic to the pan and cook until softened

Return the meat to the pan and stir in the flour

Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the redcurrant jelly (or sugar), tomato purée and thyme, then stir well. 

Stir in the canned tomatoes.

Bring to the boil again, cover and simmer in the oven for 1-½ hours, or until the beef is tender. 

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For the White Sauce 

Melt the butter in a saucepan.

Add the flour and cook over the heat for one minute

Gradually whisk in the hot milk, whisking until thickened

Add the Dijon mustard and parmesan cheese and season well with salt and pepper.

For the Lasagne

Preheat the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6. 

Put one third of the meat sauce in the base of a 2.3 litre shallow ovenproof dish.

Spoon one third of the white sauce on top.

Arrange one layer of lasagne sheets on top.

Season.

Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce on top and then half of the white sauce.

Put another layer of lasagne sheets on top, then the remaining meat sauce and remaining white sauce

Season

Sprinkle over the Cheddar Cheese.

Leave for six hours before cooking so that the pasta can start to soften