Wild Venison Lasagne for a Winter Gathering

Ingredients

• 750 g wild venison mince
• 20 ml olive oil
• 200 g onion, finely chopped
• 150 g carrot, finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 30 g tomato purée
• 700 g passata
• 250 ml low-salt beef stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 12 dried lasagne sheets (about 250 g)
• 60 g butter
• 60 g plain flour
• 750 ml milk
• 120 g mature Cheddar, grated
• 30 g Parmesan, grated
• 2 g fine salt
• 1 g ground black pepper

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a wide saucepan. Soften the onion and carrot for 7 minutes, then add the garlic and mince and cook for 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces.

2. 2

   Add the tomato purée, passata, stock, oregano and half the seasoning. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring. Check the mince has no pink, is piping hot and reaches 70°C for 2 minutes.

3. 3

   While the meat sauce simmers, melt the butter in another pan. Stir in the flour for 1 minute, whisk in the milk gradually and simmer for 4–5 minutes until thick. Stir in half the Cheddar and the remaining seasoning.

4. 4

   Heat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan. Spoon a thin layer of meat sauce into a 2.5 litre baking dish. Add pasta, more meat sauce and white sauce, then repeat, finishing with white sauce.

5. 5

   Scatter with the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan. Bake for 40–45 minutes until the pasta is tender, the top is golden and the centre is piping hot. Follow the pasta packet instructions if soaking is required.

6. 6

   Stand for 10 minutes before cutting into six portions. Keep any portions for storage separate from those being served.