Lasagne - A crowd-pleaser, and everyone's favourite. Sharing is caring so here is our auntie, Denise Sweeney ( Bit of a celebrity chef back in the day) recipe from her cookbook The Radio 2 Pennywise Kitchen Pop Diary - 1987'.

Ingredients:

• 50g Butter - We always go Connacht Gold,
• 1 x Large Onion, skinned & chopped
• 350g Minced Beef,
• 1x396g Tin Tomatoes,
• 3x Level teaspoons tomato pureé,
• 1 x Level teaspoon mixed herbs,
• 1x Heaped teaspoon Sugar

Filling:

• 225g Lasagne Sheets - De Cecco is the only way to go,
• 2x Tablespoons Corn Oil,
• 225g Ricotta or Cottage Cheese,

Cheese Sauce:

• 25g Butter,
• 25g Flour,
• 1 x Level teaspoon of mustard,
• Pinch of Nutmeg,
• Sprinkle Cheddar Cheese ( However much you like).

Method:

1. Melt butter in a heavy-based pan, add onion and fry until transparent.
2. Mix in the minced beef and cook over low heat until lightly browned.
3. Add in tomatoes, tomato purée, mixed herbs, sugar, and seasoning and mix well together.
4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 45 mins over a low heat.
5. Meanwhile, bring a pan pf salted water to boiling point. Put in the lasagne sheets one piece at a time. Add oil and simmer for about another 15 minutes or until it is tender. Rinse with cold water and drain on a clean tea-towel.

Cheese Sauce:

1. Put the butter, flour, milk, nutmeg and mustard into a saucepan and bring to the boil whisking all the time to give a smooth sauce. Remove from the heat mix in 75g grated cheese and stir until the cheese has melted.
2. Layer up the lasagne sheets, ricotta/cottage cheese and beef mixture in an oven-proof casserole, finishing with a layer of lasagne sheets on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
3. Bake for about half an hour at 190°C / 350°F, Gas mark 5 until golden brown. Serve with a side of salad and garlic bread.