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Christmas lasagne

Christmas lasagne
Our festive lasagne is ideal for sharing, with a rich, port-based ragu and Stilton bechamel
Serves 8  / 
Prep 50 Mins  / 
Cook 1 Hour

Ingredients

100g Coop diced pancetta 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 2 x 500g packs Coop 5% fat British lean beef steak mince 400ml Coop ruby port 2 tbsp finely chopped sage, or 2 tsp dried 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 500ml beef stock, made with 1 stock cube 12 Coop lasagne sheets 1 large parsnip, peeled into ribbons 75g vacuum-packed chestnuts, roughly chopped For the béchamel sauce 50g local unsalted butter 50g Coop plain flour 1 litre local semi-skimmed milk 125g extra mature Cheddar, grated 100g Coop Irresistible blue Stilton, crumbled;

Method

Make a meat sauce (ragu): 1. Gently fry the pancetta in a nonstick pan for 5-6 mins, until golden and releasing some of its oil 2. Add the onion and carrot, then cook for another 10-12 mins, until softened 3. Add the mince to the pan and brown all over, stirring regularly — it will take about 10 mins 4. Pour in the port and bubble for 2 mins before stirring in the sage. Add the chopped tomatoes and beef stock, then allow to simmer gently for up to 10 mins until the sauce has reduced 5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4 6. To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour 7. Cook for 2 mins, then take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the milk, until smooth 8. Return to the heat, bring up to a simmer, and stir continuously for 6-8 mins, until the sauce has thickened 9. Remove from the heat, then stir in the Cheddar and 75g of the Stilton To assemble the lasagne: 10. Lay 4 pasta sheets along the bottom of a 3-litre ovenproof dish 11. Pour over a quarter of the sauce, followed by a third of the ragu 12. Repeat, finishing with a layer of ragu 13. Add most of the parsnip, then the remaining sauce 14. Sprinkle over the rest of the Stilton and the chestnuts, top with the rest of the parsnip, then bake for 1 hour, until golden, before serving