Lasagne

Method

1. For the ragu, finely dice the celery, carrot and onion, and finely grate the garlic.
2. Heat 30 ml (2 tbsp) of the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, crumble in some of the mince and turn the heat down to medium. Cook without stirring for 8–10 minutes, then break it up with a wooden spoon and stir to brown all over. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining mince.
3. Leave about 1 tbsp of fat in the pan and add the carrot. Season with salt and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, then the celery and garlic and sweat for another minute.
4. Return the mince to the pan and pour in the wine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the wine has reduced by 80%.
5. Add 600 ml of the passata (keep the remaining 100 g for the top) the Parmesan rind and the MSG. Mix well and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover and cook for 2–6 hours, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick. Add a little water if it gets too thick. Make the pasta while it cooks.
6. Stir in the 100 ml milk 30 minutes before the ragu is finished. When it's done, remove the rind and let the ragu cool to room temperature.
7. For the pasta (skip if using store-bought sheets): blanch the spinach in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 20 seconds, then drain and plunge into iced water. Drain well and squeeze out as much water as you can; wet spinach makes a tougher dough. Blend with the eggs until smooth.
8. Pile the flour on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre. Pour in the spinach mixture with a pinch of salt and the olive oil. With a fork, gradually draw in the flour from the edges until it's all incorporated, then knead until smooth and elastic.
9. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to rest.
10. Lightly flour the work surface. Halve the dough (cover the other half so it doesn't dry out) and roll one half into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.
11. Pass it through a pasta machine on the widest setting twice. Fold it like an envelope, press to seal, and pass it through twice more on the same setting. Then turn the setting down one notch at a time, passing it through twice at each, down to the second-last setting, for a long, thin sheet. Repeat with the other half.
12. Par-cook the sheets briefly in boiling salted water, plunge them into iced water, then lay them on an oiled tray so they don't stick. This makes them pliable and helps the layers grip each other.
13. For the béchamel, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and turn the heat to medium. Season with salt and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the flour is cooked out and a blonde colour.
14. Add the milk 100–150 ml at a time, whisking constantly into the corners of the pan until smooth. Simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened, then season with salt and white pepper and stir in nutmeg to taste.
15. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan / 400°F / gas 6). In a deep 23 × 30 cm baking dish, layer meat sauce, pasta sheets, béchamel, mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat to make 5 layers, keeping the layers thin and reserving some mozzarella and Parmesan for the top, and finish with a layer of pasta.
16. Spread the reserved passata over the top and cover loosely with foil. Bake for 35–40 minutes.
17. Remove the foil, scatter over basil leaves and then the reserved cheese, and bake for a further 10 minutes. Increase the oven to 220°C (200°C fan / 425°F / gas 7) and bake for 5 more minutes, until golden brown.
18. Let the lasagne rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing, so the layers set and cut cleanly.