Is it lasagna or lasagne? Who knows? No one, because it's both. Regardless of that fact, it's one of the many great exports to come out of Italy and it's a doddle to make. Really, to make a good lasagna, you first need a good meat sauce (the ragu). The crucial thing to a great lasagne is giving the meat sauce the time it needs to develop it's flavour, giving you the richness you so deserve...and need! If you don't cook the meat sauce long enough, then well...your lasagne will resemble insipid drain water. I make this slightly differently to my ragu recipe, as I add canned tomatoes. I find this gives the finished lasagna some much needed sweetness and tartness, to cut through all that creamy bechamel and cheese. You can make it the day before, a few hours before you want dinner, or even batch cook a big load of meat sauce, portion it and freeze for whenever you fancy a delicious lasagne for you and your family.

To make my family lasagne you will need:

• 500g minced beef

• 250g pork mince

• 1 large brown onion

• 2 medium carrots

• 1 large celery stick

• 3 garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 300ml white wine

• 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tsp of dried oregano

• 150ml milk

• salt and pepper

• olive oil

• Lasagne pasta sheets (about 9-12 sheets)

• About 250g of grated mozzarella cheese

• About 50g of grated parmesan cheese

• A good handful of fresh basil leaves

For the bechamel sauce:

• 600ml milk

• 50g unsalted butter

• 50g plain all purpose flour

• About 50g grated parmesan cheese

• About 1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg

• Salt & pepper