Sausage, Fennel, and Thyme Lasagne

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and break up with a wooden spoon. Fry, stirring often until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pan and fry until softened and starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.

3. Stir in the fennel seeds and thyme and fry for a further 2 minutes before stirring in the tomato puree and stirring for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, simmering for 3 minutes before stirring in the passata.

4. Now add the bay leaves and season well with salt and pepper. Return the sausage meat to the pan. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Remove the lid and let the sauce reduce for a final 10 minutes.

6. Whilst the sauce cooks, prepare your bechamel. Add the butter to a saucepan and heat over a medium heat until melted. Stir in the flour to form a paste before gradually whisking in the milk. Simmer until thickened, stirring often before seasoning with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  

7. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan.

8. Layer up 1/3 of the ragu, cover with lasagne sheets followed by 1/3 of the bechamel. Repeat twice more. Top with the torn mozzarella and sprinkle over the Parmesan.

9. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the lasagne is golden all over.