Nothings better than good food on a holiday
Classic lasagna
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
1 onion , finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 medium carrot , grated
2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
500g beef mince
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp clear honey
500g pack fresh egg lasagne sheets
400ml crème fraîche
125g ball mozzarella, roughly torn
50g freshly grated parmesan
large handful basil leaves , torn (optional)
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Use kitchen scissors to snip the bacon into small pieces, or use a sharp knife to chop it on a chopping board. Add the bacon to the pan and cook for just a few mins until starting to turn golden. Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened.
STEP 2
Add the garlic and cook for 1 min, then tip in the mince and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 6 mins until browned all over.
STEP 3
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min, mixing in well with the beef and vegetables. Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Fill each can half full with water to rinse out any tomatoes left in the can, and add to the pan. Add the honey and season to taste. Simmer for 20 mins.
STEP 4
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To assemble the lasagne, ladle a little of the ragu sauce into the bottom of the roasting tin or casserole dish, spreading the sauce all over the base. Place 2 sheets of lasagne on top of the sauce overlapping to make it fit, then repeat with more sauce and another layer of pasta. Repeat with a further 2 layers of sauce and pasta, finishing with a layer of pasta.
STEP 5
Put the crème fraîche in a bowl and mix with 2 tbsp water to loosen it and make a smooth pourable sauce. Pour this over the top of the pasta, then top with the mozzarella. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake for 25–30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve scattered with basil, if you like.
Chocolate molten cake
Ingredients
100g butter, plus extra to grease
100g dark chocolate, chopped
150g light brown soft sugar
3 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
50g plain flour single cream, to serve
Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter 6 dariole moulds or basins well and place on a baking tray.
STEP 2
Put 100g butter and 100g chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of hot water (or alternatively put in the microwave and melt in 30 second bursts on a low setting) and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly for 15 mins.
STEP 3
Using an electric hand whisk, mix in 150g light brown soft sugar, then 3 large eggs, one at a time, followed by ½ tsp vanilla extract and finally 50g plain flour. Divide the mixture among the darioles or basins.
STEP 4
You can now either put the mixture in the fridge, or freezer until you’re ready to bake them. Can be cooked straight from frozen for 16 mins, or bake now for 10-12 mins until the tops are firm to the touch but the middles still feel squidgy.
STEP 5
Carefully run a knife around the edge of each pudding, then turn out onto serving plates and serve with single cream.
