Ingredients

• 1 litre/1¾ pints full-fat milk
• 75g/3oz unsalted butter
• 125g/4½oz 00 flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 125g/4½oz grated parmesan cheese
• 2 free-range eggs yolks
• 110g/4oz unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp chopped celery
• 2 tbsp chopped carrots
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• 110g/4oz smoked pancetta
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• leaves picked
• chopped
• 1 kg/2lb 2oz trimmed veal or beef flank
• finely chopped
• 50g/2oz prosciutto
• roughly chopped
• 1 x 400g/14oz good-quality chopped tomatoes
• 125ml/4½fl oz white wine
• 110ml/4fl oz full-fat milk
• 1 x 250g/9oz pack fresh lasagne sheets
• olive oil
• for greasing
• large handful grated parmesan

Directions

• For the béchamel pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer
• turn off the heat and set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan
• melt the butter
• then whisk in the flour and hot milk. Whisk rigorously until smooth. Add the bay leaf
• cover with a circle of greaseproof paper and cook slowly for 30-40 minutes. Remove the paper and bay leaf and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the parmesan and egg yolks and set aside to cool.
• For the ragu
• melt the butter in a large casserole dish until foaming. Add the celery
• carrots
• onion
• pancetta and rosemary and fry for five minutes. Stir in the veal and prosciutto and cook for a further five minutes.
• Add the tomatoes
• white wine and milk and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook slowly for 1½ hours - the meat should be broken down into small pieces and the sauce should have a rich thick consistency.
• Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3
• Blanch the pasta sheets in boiling salted water for one minute
• then refresh in cold water.
• Rub olive oil into the sides of a baking dish. Place a layer of pasta onto the base of the dish and then add an even layer of beef ragu
• followed by a layer of béchamel sauce. Repeat this process until you have used all the pasta and finish with a thick layer of béchamel on top. Sprinkle the top with a generous layer of parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes
• or until bubbling and pale golden-brown on top.
• Cut the lasagne into squares and serve.