Cannellini beans replace half the beef in this lasagne family favourite. The beans are low in saturated fat, helping to maintain a healthy cholesterol.
Two of your 5 a day
Heat a non stick frying pan, and add the mince, and fry over a medium heat, stirring to break up any chunks, for approx 8 mins, until browned all over. Set aside and wipe out the pan
Reduce the heat and spray with a tsp of oil/1 squirt of fryilght, then add the onion, carrot, celery, and red pepper and cook over a gentle heat, until softened, for about 5 mins
Add the herbs, mushrooms, garlic and cook for a few more minutes, until the mushrooms are browning
Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, passata, Worcestershire sauce, and cook for about 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure it is not catching on the base of the pan
Add the cannellini beans and gently stir thought to combine
Pre heat the oven to 200 / 180c fan / Gas 6
Whilst the meat sauce is cooking, make the bechamel. Bring a pan of milk to the boil, along with the onion studded with the cloves & bay leaf
Once boiling, remove from the heat, and leave to infuse for 15 mins. Remove the onion, cloves and bay, discard
Melt the margarine in a pan, add the flour and stir continuously for a couple of minutes, to form a paste, this forms your roux base.
Over a medium heat, slowly add the milk to the roux, still stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, approx 5-8 mins
Spoon the meat and bean base over the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of Lasagne sheets, breaking them to fit if necessary, then add a layer of your white sauce
Repeat, with another layer of meat/bean base, more Lasagna sheets and white sauce before finishing with a final layer of lasagne sheets
Pour over the last of the sauce and sprinkle with the cheddar
Bake for 25-30 mins, sat on top of a lined baking tray to catch any spills
Leave to cool for 10 mins before serving. Serve with the green salad