Homemade Lasagnette
Homemade lasagnette keeps everything you like about lasagne, meaty tomato sauce, pasta and a golden cheese top, but skips the layering and the white sauce. Dried pasta shapes go into the beef sauce raw and cook in the oven, so there is no separate pan of boiling water. It takes about 80 minutes door to door, most of it hands-off, and feeds four hungry people.
- Total
- 1 h 19 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 h 4 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 780kcal
Choosing the pasta and getting the liquid right
Most of what can go wrong with a bake like this comes down to liquid. Dried pasta soaks up roughly twice its weight, so the sauce needs to be looser than a spaghetti bolognese. The 400ml of stock plus the tomatoes and cream give the pasta enough to cook in. Any medium shape works, but tubes and twists hold the sauce best.
The method for homemade lasagnette
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Brown the base Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for until soft. Add the mince, breaking it up with a spoon, and fry for , until browned with no pink left. Spoon off any excess fat.
- Build the sauce Stir in the garlic and tomato purée and cook for . Add the chopped tomatoes, the stock and the oregano, bring to the boil and simmer for .
- Add cream and pasta Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Tip in the dry pasta, stir well so every piece is covered, then pour everything into the ovenproof dish. The pasta should be just covered with sauce, so push it down.
- Bake covered Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for , until the pasta is almost tender.
- Brown the top Remove the foil, stir gently, scatter over the Cheddar and bake for another , until the cheese is bubbling and golden and the pasta is soft all the way through. Leave to stand for before serving.
Serving and variations
Serve homemade lasagnette with a crisp green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, or with garlic bread. For the layered version, see lasagne bolognese, and for another baked pasta in a creamy sauce, try cannelloni with beef.
Swap the Cheddar for mozzarella for a stretchier top, or use a mix of both. Add a handful of chopped mushrooms with the onion, or stir in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach at the end.
Common problems and fixes for Homemade Lasagnette
- The pasta is hard on top and soft underneath.
- Pieces sticking out of the sauce dry out. Press them down into the liquid before covering with foil, and keep the dish tightly covered for the first 30 minutes.
- The bake looks dry or too thick.
- Stir in 100ml hot water or milk before the cheese goes on. The sauce thickens as it stands, so loose is fine when it comes out of the oven.
- The sauce tastes flat.
- Season at the end, as the stock cube and Cheddar already add salt. A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce or a squeeze of lemon lifts the flavour.
Frequently asked questions about Homemade Lasagnette
What is lasagnette?
Lasagnette is a narrow, ribbon-like pasta with ruffled edges, and the name is also used for a quick baked dish of pasta and meat sauce. This recipe uses ordinary dried pasta shapes. You can also snap lasagne sheets into pieces about 4cm wide.
Can I use turkey or pork mince?
Yes, both are fine. Cook them until no pink remains and the juices run clear. Add a little extra oil, as lean turkey mince is drier.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Bake it, cool it quickly and chill for up to 2 days, then reheat, covered, at 180°C (160°C fan), gas 4, for 25 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. It also freezes for up to 3 months; defrost it in the fridge first.
Can I cook the pasta first?
Yes. Boil it for 3 minutes less than the pack says, drain and stir it into the sauce. Reduce the stock to 150ml and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
How did you like the recipe?
4.9 / 5 · 36 ratings
