So here it is, a hearty winter lasagna that is sure to fill you up on a cold winter's night. I have started making and rolling my own pasta after recently buying a pasta machine, but the dried pasta sheets are fine for this recipe.
The recipe should make enough to serve 6 people.
Ingredients
Bolognese Sauce
500g Beef mince
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pepper, finely chopped - you can use any combination of red green and yellow
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
2 bulbs garlic, crushed
2 x cans peeled or chopped tomatoes
1/2 - 1 tube tomato puree - add this to taste however you like it
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Mixed Herbs
1 Pinch chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil - if you have fresh Basil, use approx 3-5 medium sized leaves
Red Wine
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cheese Sauce
1 x knob of butter
2-3 tablespoons of plain flour
Milk
1-2 teaspoons of hot English mustard
1 x hand full cheddar cheese, grated
1 x hand full mozzarella cheese, grated
1 x 500g tub Natural Yogurt
Lasagna
1 packet lasagna sheets
Mozzarella cheese, grated - I usually buy a 200g packet and use a handful for the cheese sauce and the remainder for the lasagna
Cheddar cheese, grated - you probably want around 200g
200g Greek Feta cheese
Method
First you want to make the bolognese sauce. I sometimes make this in advance and freeze it. You can then just defrost it and use it on pasta or to make a lasagna.
1. In a large, heavy based saucepan, brown the mince over a medium heat. This should probably take 5-10 minutes. Remove from the saucepan and drain the fat away over a bowl.
2. Add a little olive oil to the pan, place it back on the heat and brown the onions for a few minutes before adding the peppers and celery. Add the garlic, herbs and chili flakes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the canned tomatoes (if they are not chopped you can use a knife to break them up using the back of a wooden spoon in the pot) and mix in the vegetables.
4. Add the mince to the pan, along with the tomato puree (I use a whole tube, but it depends how thick you prefer the sauce as to how much you want to add). You will either need to add a good glass of red wine to thin out the sauce, or just some water if you don't have any wine handy.
5. Leave the sauce to simmer on a low heat, stirring regularly whilst you prepare the remaining items.
Secondly you want to make the cheese sauce. Once again you want a heavy based saucepan as you need to make a rue to start with (for instructions on how to make a rue click here).
1. Make a rue using the flour butter and milk as required. Make sure not to make it too runny as you are adding the yogurt to the sauce which will thin it out.
2. Once the rue is complete, add the yogurt, cheese and English mustard and stir well.
3. The sauce should be quite thick as the cheese melts.
Now it's time to assemble the lasagna, which I don't think I really need to explain in detail. In brief, I start with a little bit of bolognese sauce just to ensure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the dish. Then layer pasta, cheese and bolognese sauce alternatively until you approach the top of the dish. I usually get 3 layers in the average size lasagna dish. After the 3rd layer of pasta, top it with bolognese sauce, and then pour the cheese sauce on top, making sure not to overflow the dish as it will bubble up in the oven. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, followed by the feta cheese, cut or crumbled into small pieces. This part is my favourite of the entire dish as the feta goes brown and crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle once the lasagna is cooked.
Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 - 30 minutes (I usually put another disk underneath it in the over to catch any overspill as burnt lasagna is a nightmare to clean from inside your oven). It will be done when the top is golden brown, and the pasta feels cooked when a knife is inserted into the centre of the dish.
The one piece of advice I would give it try not to make either your bolognese or cheese sauces too runny as it can make serving the lasagna a bit messy.
Method
First you want to make the bolognese sauce. I sometimes make this in advance and freeze it. You can then just defrost it and use it on pasta or to make a lasagna.
1. In a large, heavy based saucepan, brown the mince over a medium heat. This should probably take 5-10 minutes. Remove from the saucepan and drain the fat away over a bowl.
2. Add a little olive oil to the pan, place it back on the heat and brown the onions for a few minutes before adding the peppers and celery. Add the garlic, herbs and chili flakes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the canned tomatoes (if they are not chopped you can use a knife to break them up using the back of a wooden spoon in the pot) and mix in the vegetables.
4. Add the mince to the pan, along with the tomato puree (I use a whole tube, but it depends how thick you prefer the sauce as to how much you want to add). You will either need to add a good glass of red wine to thin out the sauce, or just some water if you don't have any wine handy.
5. Leave the sauce to simmer on a low heat, stirring regularly whilst you prepare the remaining items.
Secondly you want to make the cheese sauce. Once again you want a heavy based saucepan as you need to make a rue to start with (for instructions on how to make a rue click here).
1. Make a rue using the flour butter and milk as required. Make sure not to make it too runny as you are adding the yogurt to the sauce which will thin it out.
2. Once the rue is complete, add the yogurt, cheese and English mustard and stir well.
3. The sauce should be quite thick as the cheese melts.
Now it's time to assemble the lasagna, which I don't think I really need to explain in detail. In brief, I start with a little bit of bolognese sauce just to ensure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the dish. Then layer pasta, cheese and bolognese sauce alternatively until you approach the top of the dish. I usually get 3 layers in the average size lasagna dish. After the 3rd layer of pasta, top it with bolognese sauce, and then pour the cheese sauce on top, making sure not to overflow the dish as it will bubble up in the oven. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, followed by the feta cheese, cut or crumbled into small pieces. This part is my favourite of the entire dish as the feta goes brown and crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle once the lasagna is cooked.
Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 - 30 minutes (I usually put another disk underneath it in the over to catch any overspill as burnt lasagna is a nightmare to clean from inside your oven). It will be done when the top is golden brown, and the pasta feels cooked when a knife is inserted into the centre of the dish.
The one piece of advice I would give it try not to make either your bolognese or cheese sauces too runny as it can make serving the lasagna a bit messy.
