Beef and Vegetable Lasagne

Combination of two recipes from "Cookery the Australian Way". Makes a big lasagne or 2 small ones. Recipe freezes well for --1 month when cooked; can be stored longer if final lasagne layer and cheese sauce are not added. This can be easily translated to a vegetarian lasagne by leaving out the meat sauce (will only need --150g lasagne and half of cheese sauce), or by substituting a bean or lentil based mix.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 2  onions, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 250  g minced beef
• 2  tomatoes, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  meat stock
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 200  g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (400 g) can tomatoes, diced
• 1  zucchini, grated
• 1  carrot, grated
• 1  tablespoon fresh basil or 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (250 g) packet frozen spinach, thawed
• 300  g  lasagna noodles, instant or cooked
•  salt and pepper, to taste
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 2  cups milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon grainy mustard
• 1  cup cheese, grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).
2. Heat oil, saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
3. Remove approx half to a saucepan, heat and add mushrooms, canned tomatoes, zucchini, 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste, carrot, pepper and basil.
4. Stir over a low heat for 20 minutes until sauce thickens.
5. Meanwhile, add minced beef to the remaining onion and garlic and stir till pink colour is gone.
6. Add fresh tomatoes, remaining tomato paste and stock and simmer 10 mins or until cheese sauce completed.
7. Melt butter in a saucepan, remove from heat.
8. Add flour, stir with a wooden spoon.
9. Replace on low heat and heat for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
10. Remove from heat and add milk gradually, stirring vigourously, until smooth.
11. Replace on heat and stir till boiling.
12. Reduce heat and stir 1 minute.
13. Add mustard, stir well, remove from heat and add 1/2 cup grated cheese. Put lid on saucepan.
14. Place a layer of vegetable sauce on bottom of a large lasagne pan.
15. Cover sauce with lasagne noodles, then spinach, then meat sauce, then noodles again.
16. Continue with layers until used up. Final layer should be lasagne.
17. Cover with cheese sauce and sprinkle with remaining grated cheese.
18. Bake for 30 mins until cheese is melted and golden brown.