Marion’s Best Lasagne

For the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a deep-frying pan over high heat. Add half the beef and spread it out in the pan. Allow to sear for 4-5 minutes or until you get a nice deep colour on the bottom of the mince. Season with salt and then flip the beef over in chunks. Allow to sear another 2-3 minutes. Then add in the rest of the beef mince and stir-fry, breaking up the cooked mince with a spatula. 

Add the garlic and cook for another half a minute. Then add the tomatoes, miso paste, tomato paste, soy sauce, star anise and oregano. Simmer for 30 minutes. 

For the cheese sauce, whisk all the ingredients in large bowl until well combined. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F. 

Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 3L capacity casserole or baking dish (mine is about 35cm x 7cm x 25cm). Place the lasagne sheets on top, being sure to break up the sheets to that you have an even layer. Spread one-third of the meat sauce over the lasagne sheets. Then dollop over half of the cheese sauce and spread it out in an even layer. Sprinkle with a third of the grated mozzarella. Then repeat with the another layer of lasagne sheets, one-third of the meat sauce, the other half of the cheese sauce and another third of the grated mozzarella. Then place one more layer of lasagne sheets on top. Spread over the final one third of the meat sauce. 

Mix the remaining one-third of the mozzarella with the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the meat sauce. Cover with baking paper and then with foil. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. 

Remove the baking paper and foil and allow the lasagne and then bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. 

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes so that the layers set and cool a little before slicing and serving. 

– Shiro Miso is a white miso paste and is commonly found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets or from an Asian grocery store.