Cuca's lasagne alla cacciatora

This started off as a homage to my ex-next door neighbour, who provided the wild rabbit. He came to my door one day and asked if I liked rabbits; yes I said ... cute fluffy creatures that they are.
The following day Cuca was standing at my door holding 2 dead examples by their ears.
They were delicious.

Serves 7


2 packets of precooked lasagne sheets (Italian made if possible)

Shredded meat (I used about about 700g) from:
1 roasted free-range chicken
2 roasted wild rabbit
Parmesan for grating
2 Mozzarella
a handful of fresh sage
olive oil

for the tomato sauce
olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
a sprig of fresh rosemary
3 bay leaves
3 tins of good quality tinned, plum tomatoes

for the white sauce 
1 litre fresh milk
a sprig of fresh parsley
a pinch of nutmeg
half a peeled onion
7 black peppercorns
80g butter
70g plain flour
150g freshly grated Parmesan
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Once you have roasted your meat and it has cooled sufficiently, shred it - discarding bones and skin...

Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic till lightly coloured. Add the tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaves and simmer for about 30 minutes - with the lid on - we don't want a reduction...
Add the shredded meat and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes then remove the rosemary and bay leaves.

For the white sauce; put the milk, parsley, onion, nutmeg and peppercorns into a pan and gently bring to a simmer. In another pan; melt the butter and stir in the flour. Mix well, then using a sieve add the milk one ladle at a time, mixing well until you have a creamy, thick sauce. Simmer fro a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat and add the Parmesan.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Butter a large baking tray (mine:- 36x26cms). Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of pasta (straight from the packet!), followed by a layer of the tomato sauce, then the white sauce. Repeat these three layers until you run out of tomato sauce. Keep enough white sauce in reserve for the top; cover with Parmesan and tear over the mozzarella. Finish with the fresh sage leaves and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown.