My Mamma’s Lasagne

This My Mamma’s Lasagne recipe is a heartfelt classic from Gino’s Italian Escape and his ready‑meal range. Gino created it as an homage to the slow‑cooked, rich family lasagne his mother made back in Naples—every bite transports him home.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

• 12 fresh egg lasagne sheets (approx. 10 × 18 cm)

• For the meat ragu:

  • 5 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated

  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped

  • 500 g minced beef

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 2 glasses Italian dry red wine

  • 700 ml passata (sieved tomatoes)

  • 1 tbsp tomato purée

  • 10 basil leaves

• For the béchamel sauce:

  • 100 g salted butter

  • 100 g plain flour

  • 1 litre cold full‑fat milk

  • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 100 g freshly grated Parmesan (half stirred into béchamel, half for topping)

• 50 g salted butter, cut into 1 cm cubes (for topping)

Instructions for My Mamma’s Lasagne

1. Prepare the meat ragu: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes. Add the minced beef and cook until browned and seasoned with salt and pepper. Pour in the red wine and cook another 5 minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Stir in the passata, tomato purée, and basil, then simmer uncovered for approximately 1 hour until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Make the béchamel sauce: In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until lightly golden. Gradually pour in the cold milk while whisking constantly. Cook for about 10 minutes until thickened, then stir in half of the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

3. Assemble the lasagne: Preheat your oven to 180 °C (356 °F). Spread a quarter of the béchamel sauce over the bottom of a deep ovenproof dish (~30 × 25 cm). Layer four lasagne sheets on top. Spread half of the meat ragu, then top with a third of the remaining béchamel. Add another four lasagne sheets, then the rest of the ragu, followed by half of the remaining béchamel. Add a final layer of lasagne sheets and cover with the remaining béchamel. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top and dot with the cubed butter.

4. Bake & rest: Bake on the lower rack of the oven for 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 200 °C (392 °F), move to the middle rack, and bake for another 15 minutes until golden and crispy on top. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy Gino D’Acampo’s My Mamma’s Lasagne — may it bring warmth, nostalgia, and family around your table.