Childhood Lasagne

Name: Childhood Lasagne
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 250g Lasagne Sheets; 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons of flour; 1 1/2cups of milk; canned tomato; tomato paste; fresh oregano; fresh basil; baby spinach; pepper; salt; 500g lean mince; 1 big ball of mozzarella; parmesan cheese; 4 cloves of garlic; one fresh chilli; red wine for coooking; one large onion; one green pepper

16 steps

Prep:1hCook:1h

This is a dish that my mother would make when we had people over on a Sunday. She would also make curry, which my brother doesn't like. So overall this was a win-win for everyone. It's honestly the only homecooked lasagne I've had that leaves me wanting seconds and thirds. My favourite thing about it is that the flavour is so rich and the hint of chilli makes it stand out too. Photo from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/uforgCt5a1vXVp5cJC7mnLn6Ry4=/4827x3620/filters:fill(auto,1)/a-portion-of-spinach-lasagne-with-tomatoes-74323020-57c2d1623df78cc16e34fa06.jpg

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:45:46 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories225.1 kcal (11%)

Total Fat7.6 g (11%)

Carbs22.5 g (9%)

Sugars4.4 g (5%)

Protein16.4 g (33%)

Sodium201.3 mg (10%)

Fiber1.9 g (7%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

12 servings

250glasagne sheets

2 tablespoonsunsalted butter

2 tablespoonsflour

1 ½ cupsmilk

500glean mince

Instructions

Step 1

Chop all the vegetables, onions and garlic.

Step 2

Caramelize the onions in a large pot using your preferred oil. Once golden, add garlic and chilli.

Step 3

Add green pepper and cook down.

Step 4

Add mince and brown it. Spice the mince with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Step 5

Bring the heat down and add canned tomato, tomato paste and use the tomato can to measure the water (about half a can) so that the liquids cover the mince mixture well.

Step 6

Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Taste and add any spices necessary. Add a splash of red wine and continue simmering for 10 minutes.

Step 7

The last step for the mince is to add the fresh herbs. Taste again and make sure the balance of flavours is to your liking.

Béchamel Sauce

Step 8

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low. Add flour, whisk until smooth and cook until flour is no longer raw, about 1 minute. (Be sure to whisk all around the edges of the pan to prevent scorching.)

Step 9

Whisking constantly, slowly add ¼ cup of the milk in a thin stream and whisk until liquid is absorbed. (This happens very quickly. The mixture will seize up, but it will loosen as more milk is added.) Slowly add another ¼ cup of the milk in a thin stream and whisk until mixture is smooth. Repeat with remaining ¼ cup portions of the milk, whisking constantly until mixture is smooth before adding the next batch of milk.

Step 10

Once all of the milk is incorporated, continue to cook over medium-low, stirring frequently, until it starts to simmer and the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg (if using).

Step 11

Mix in a handful of rinsed baby spinach and let it rest.

Finalé

Step 12

Now it's time to create layers for the lasagne. The order for layering is:

Step 13

1. Mince

Step 14

2. Lasagne sheets

Step 15

3. Béchamel sauce. Repeat the layering until the lasagne sheets have run out. The béchamel sauce should be the final layer before putting on the slices of mozzarella. Lastly sprinkle the parmesan cheese ontop.

Bake

Step 16

The assembled lasagna should take about 60 minutes to cook in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F. Cover it with foil for the first 25 minutes, then let it cook uncovered for the final 25 minutes. Also, it's important to let the lasagna rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you cut into it.