Easy Lasagna
Category News
Italian food, we all love it. A delicious array of flavours and colours and textures styles is what makes Italian food amazing. Italian style food also has a great combination of vegetables, protein, and carbs if you make it with some consideration. For some reason, people seem to shy away from homemade lasagna, thinking it’s too difficult to make or will take too much time, despite lasagna being a favourite dish for many people. So here is a quick and healthy lasagna recipe that your family will love.
Ingredients:
• 400g of 90% lean mince
• 1 finely diced onion
• 2 tsp. of crushed garlic (depending on taste)
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. of tomato paste
• 1 tsp. of dried basil
• 1 tsp. of coriander
• 1 tsp. Italian herbs
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 box of lasagna noodles
• 1 Tbsp. salted butter
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 300ml full cream milk
• 200g cheddar cheese (grated)
• 7 baby marrows (thinly sliced with a potato peeler)
• Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft.
3. Add the mince and garlic to the onion and allow to cook until about half of it has browned stirring occasionally.
4. Add in the coriander, dried basil, Italian herbs, paprika, cayenne pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Mix the spices thoroughly through the meat as the remaining half browns.
5. Add in the canned chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Turn heat down to a simmer and allow to cook for 15 min, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Taste test, if the sauce is too tart; add in a teaspoon of sugar at a time until the tartness has gone.
6. Remove from heat and set to one side.
7. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the flour to create a rue. Stir for two minutes.
8. Take the saucepan off the heat and slowly add the milk small amounts at a time. Make sure to stir until the milk and the rue are completely combined before adding the next bit of milk to avoid lumps.
9. Return the saucepan to the heat and allow to come to a boil while continuously stirring.
10. Simmer gently until the white sauce is thick and remove from heat.
11. In a large square ovenproof dish, about 7cm deep, layer the meat sauce, lasagna noodles, baby marrow slices, and white sauce until the meat sauce is finished.
12. Sprinkle the top with the grated cheddar cheese, cover with tin foil, and cook for 25 to 30 min or until noodles are soft.
13. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
This recipe is easy to mix up for different dietary needs: replace the mince with lean chopped chicken breast if you don’t eat red meat, replace the noodles for thicker layers of marrow and replace the white sauce for Greek yoghurt for a gluten friendly option, for vegetarians remove the meat completely and swap it out for your favourite veggies. This basic lasagna recipe is a versatile dish with many options for all tastes. Remember, experimenting with recipes by adding in or removing ingredients allows them to be truly yours, have fun and find what works best for you. Enjoy this warm and delicious meal with loved ones for a winter warm up.
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Author: Lillian Rencken
