I love a traditional lasagne but sometimes I like to ring the changes with this tasty alternative. Layers of rich meat sauce and creamy macaroni topped with a crispy Parmesan and breadcrumb topping served with a green salad on the side, it’s a perfect family supper dish. If you’ve already got your favourite meat sauce in the freezer, it’s super-quick to make.

• Serves 6
• 1kg lean minced beef
• 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 x 70g pot of tomato paste – I use the Cirio brand
• 40cl of robust red wine
• 1 28g gel pot of rich beef stock
• 2 tbsps milk
• 1 tsp pinch of dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 300ml double cream
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 150g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 200g Gruyere cheese, grated
• 500g pack of macaroni – cooked al dente
• Large slice of sourdough or other good quality bread blitzed into fine crumbs or 3 tbsps of Panko crumbs mixed with 50g of the Parmesan and 1 tbsp of olive oil

To make…

• First, make the meat sauce. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the mirepoix of onions, celery, garlic and carrot and cook gently for about 20 minutes until soft and golden. Add the meat and cook until lightly browned. Add the leek, cook through for another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, milk, wine, stockpot, oregano, bay and a generous tsp of salt and black pepper. Top up with water to just below the line of the meat and vegetables. Bring to a simmer, mix thoroughly and then turn down the heat to low. Cook for an hour until the sauce is rich and thick. I usually cook this in the oven at 160C but the stove top is also fine. Taste and add more seasoning if preferred. The sauce should be rich and thick.
• Cook the macaroni until al dente; it usually takes about 10 minutes. Drain and mix with the cream, Dijon mustard, the Gruyere and 100g of the Parmesan with plenty of black pepper and a little extra virgin olive oil. It should be very creamy but not sloppy so add a little more cream if necessary.
• Whizz the Parmesan into crumbs in a food processor (or use a coarse grater) and then add the bread crumbs and oil.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• To assemble, lightly butter a large gratin dish and cover the bottom with the meat sauce. Next add the layer of macaroni cheese. Scatter the breadcrumb and Parmesan crumb evenly over the top.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

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