Veal And Spinach Lasagne

Preheat oven to 180C. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and stir until softened. Increase heat to high and add the mince. Fry until browned and add the red wine. Continue to cook until all of the wine is absorbed and stir in the tomato paste.

Add the stock, tomatoes, carrot and herbs. Season and simmer for 35 minutes or until rich and thick. Stir through the parsley.

Finely chop the spinach and combine with the ricotta cheese in a medium bowl. Season.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the plain flour. Pour in ½ cup of milk and whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk, bay leaf and parmesan and stir until thickened. Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg and set aside.

To assemble spoon half of the meat sauce into an oven proof dish. Top with a layer of instant lasagne sheets, then the cheese and spinach mixture and then another layer of the lasagne sheets. Pour over the white sauce and bake for 1 hour until lasagne is cooked.

Allow to sit for 25 minutes before slicing.

Serve with a mixed green salad and crusty bread.

*The meat sauce is better if made the day before and stored in the fridge over night. Therefore for entertaining it can be assembled just before the guests arrive and baked ready to serve.