Layered Lasagne with Meatballs

Béchamel sauce: Scald milk in a saucepan with peppercorns, bay leaves, mace and thyme. Cover and set aside.

In a clean pan, melt butter, stir in flour and blend in strained milk one-third at a time. Return pan to heat and stir until boiling.

Reduce heat, stir constantly for a minute or two, then add salt. Turn off heat and cover with a lid.

Meatballs and sauce: Gently squeeze sausage filling out of casing. Roll into small balls between damp palms to shape. Keep chilled until required.

Put garlic, rosemary and oil in a medium saucepan and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add tomatoes, rinse can with 1⁄4 cup water and add water and tomato concentrate to pan. Bring to a gentle bubble. Lower heat and cook gently for about 12 minutes, stirring from time to time. Do not let sauce become dry.

Add meatballs, bring back to a gentle bubble, then cook very gently for 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Spinach and pasta: Cook spinach in a little melted butter in a pan over medium-low heat until it wilts. Season with salt and freshly grated nutmeg. Turn off heat.

Cook pasta in plenty of gently boiling well-salted water until just al dente. Drain and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil.

To assemble: Place a strip of pasta on a lined shallow ovenproof dish. Spoon some meatballs and sauce on one end with a few blobs of béchamel sauce, a few leaves of spinach and a sprinkle of parmesan. Fold pasta over filling then put on another layer of ingredients on folded pasta. Repeat to make 4 layers. Finish with parmesan.

Bake in oven preheated to 220°C for 12–15 minutes, or until hot and bubbling. Makes 6–8 stacks