Easiest Lasagne Ever

Ingredients

• 9 dried lasagne sheets (about 250g)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil — staple
• 750g beef mince
• 1 large onion, diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste — staple
• 800g can crushed tomatoes
• 200g tomato passata
• 1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs — staple
• 500g ricotta (2 x 250g tubs)
• 400g grated mozzarella
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 25g freshly grated parmesan
• Chopped parsley to serve — optional garnish, skip
• 1 head cos lettuce, washed and torn
• 1 telegraph cucumber, sliced
• 4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 carrots, grated
• olive oil + vinegar, to dress — staple

Method

1. Cook the lasagne sheets in a large pot of well-salted boiling water per packet instructions, then drain and lay flat so they don't stick. Skip this entirely if using instant/no-boil sheets.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high. Add the mince and onion and cook 8-10 minutes, crumbling the beef as it browns. Season with salt and pepper, then drain off excess fat.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, passata and Italian herbs. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 60g of the mozzarella and the beaten egg. Set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 180degC and lightly oil a 33 x 23cm baking dish.
6. Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce over the base. Top with 3 lasagne sheets, half the ricotta mixture, a third of the sauce and 115g mozzarella. Repeat for a second layer. Finish with the last 3 sheets, the remaining sauce, 115g mozzarella and the parmesan.
7. Bake 40-50 minutes until bubbling, then grill 2-3 minutes until browned in spots. Rest 15 minutes before cutting.
8. Side salad: while the lasagne rests, toss the torn cos, cucumber, tomato and grated carrot with oil and vinegar.
9. Serve with the salad alongside (parsley on top if you have it).

Notes

- Meat ≈500g per 4 servings per house rule — at 6 serves that's 750g (125g/serve). The source's 1lb (500g) across the dish was light for 6, so the mince is at 750g, with 200g passata alongside the can of crushed tomatoes so the sauce isn't dry. Herbs back to the source's 1 Tbsp. - Serves reset from the source's 12 to 6 — 12 is a very small slice. It's a family bake, so the source dish size and layer count are unchanged. - Converted from US measures throughout: 350degF is 180degC, a 9x13 inch dish is 33 x 23cm, the 28oz can of crushed tomatoes is an 800g can, the 15oz ricotta package is 425g (round up to 2 x 250g NZ tubs), and 3 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella is 400g grated. - Most NZ supermarket lasagne sheets are instant and don't need pre-boiling — check the packet. If using instant sheets, make the sauce a little looser so they hydrate properly. - Assembles ahead well: build it, refrigerate, and add 10-15 minutes to the bake from cold. - Veg sweep: the bake carried no vegetables beyond onion and tinned tomato, so the house Side salad (cos, cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, oil + vinegar) is now a required side, ~160g veg/serve; calories +50 and protein +1. Onion and the can of crushed tomatoes lost their staple markers; parsley is now an optional garnish with no shopping line.