Nothing beats a good, hearty lasagne for dinner, especially now as winter draws closer and the temperatures are starting to go down.

This recipe from BBC Good Food, which they dubbed the “easiest ever” take on this Italian classic, makes it extra simple to have a nutritious meal for the whole family in no time.

Serving six, this dish is an effortless and delicious way to feed the whole family or meal prep in advance.

And with simple ingredients and just a few straightforward steps, you’ll have a homemade masterpiece in no time.

This recipe is great on its own or served alongside a simple green salad.

Ingredients

500g good quality lean minced beef

Two garlic cloves, crushed

Two tsp dried oregano or dried mixed herbs

Two 250g packets ready-sliced white mushrooms

300-350g tub roasted vegetable sauce

Three squirts of tomato ketchup

One large egg

284ml carton double cream

175g extra-mature cheddar

9-12 sheets of fresh lasagne

a whole nutmeg (though you don’t use it all)

fresh chives, optional

Method

Begin by heating a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the minced meat and cook for four or five minutes until it turns brown, using a wooden spoon to break up any clumps. Once browned, transfer it to a bowl. Next, add the remaining raw mince along with garlic and oregano to the pan. Cook this mixture similarly, then combine it with the browned mince in the pan.

Introduce the mushrooms and roasted vegetable sauce to the mixture, then add a generous squeeze of ketchup. Season with salt and black pepper if desired. Stir everything together, then increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so it simmers gently. Cover the pan and let it cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The mushrooms will shrink during cooking, making the mixture more saucy.

While the meat cooks, crack an egg into a large bowl and beat it with a whisk or fork until the yolk and white are combined. Add the cream and grate about two-thirds of the cheese into the bowl. Be cautious while grating, as the edges are sharp. Season with a good amount of black pepper and mix well. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4 or fan 160°C).

Soak the lasagne sheets in boiling water for five minutes. Take an oven-safe dish approximately 28-30cm x 22-23cm and 7.5cm deep.

Start by spreading a couple of spoonfuls of the meat sauce on the bottom, then layer three or four sheets of lasagne on top, overlapping them slightly as needed. Drizzle about two or three spoonfuls of cheese sauce over the lasagne.

Add half of the remaining meat sauce, spreading it evenly to the edges. Layer with another three or four sheets of lasagne, followed by the rest of the meat sauce, spreading it out to the edges again. Finish with another layer of three or four sheets of lasagne.

Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the top, tilting the dish to help it spread to the edges. Press the corners of the pasta into the sauce so they’re fully covered. Grate the rest of the cheese over the top and sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of nutmeg.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until it’s bubbling and golden. Allow it to sit for five minutes before adding any desired toppings.