THIS MONTH’S WINNING DISH
RECIPE MELANIE BOOTH
FOOD STYLING: BIANCA NICE. PROP STYLING: MORAG FARQUHAR
Winning recipe using BACON
SERVES 4-6 HANDS-ON TIME 45 mins TOTAL TIME 1 hr 20 mins, plus resting
Smoky bacon lasagne
◆ 1 x 250g pack fresh lasagne sheets
For the bacon and tomato sauce
◆ 1 tbsp olive oil
◆ 1 large red onion, sliced
◆ 300g smoked streaky bacon, chopped
◆ 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
◆ 1 tsp sugar, any type
◆ 20g fresh basil, leaves chopped, plus extra to garnish
For the cheese sauce
◆ 50g butter
◆ 50g plain flour
◆ 500ml milk
◆ 70g finely grated Parmesan or Italianstyle hard cheese, plus 50g for topping
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. For the bacon and tomato sauce, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the onion and bacon for 12-15 minutes over a medium-high heat, stirring often, until the bacon is golden brown. Add the tinned tomatoes and sugar and bubble for a further 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir through the basil, season to taste and set aside.
2 For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and cook out for a couple of minutes, stirring. Gradually add the milk and simmer until the mixture has thickened to a smooth sauce. Stir in 70g Parmesan, season to taste then remove from the heat and set aside.
3 To assemble the lasagne, take a large ovenproof dish (about 20cm x 30cm) and spoon in a third of the tomato and bacon sauce, spreading to cover the base in a thin layer. Add a third of the lasagne sheets, then a third of the cheese sauce. Repeat twice, making sure the last layer
