Lasagne

Lasagne is one of the most popular Italian dishes with layers of Ragu (minced meat in tomato sauce), Lasagne sheets (flat pasta sheets), Cheese and White sauce, baked in oven. There are no single perfect recipe. You can use different types of cheese, 3 layers to 6 or even more layers, different herbs and spices. 

I tried to keep it as simple and tasty as it can be. Follow the recipe and you will be rewarded with a Lasagne like you never had before - this good!

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

• 250g Minced meat (keema)
• 500ml (2 cups) Lasagne Sauce (Tomato sauce with herbs and spices, see tips at the bottom) 
• 500ml (2 cups) hot Milk
• 9 sheets of Lasagne sheets
• 250g Shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp Butter (or Margarine) 
• 2 tbsp Flour
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 2 Stock pots or cubes (see tips below)
• Salt

Process:

Soak Lasagne sheets in hot water one by one (if you put them all in together, they will stick to each other) and leave for about 10 minutes or until you are ready.  

Make Ragu (minced meat in tomato sauce)

• Cook the minced meat in 1 tbsp oil on medium heat until brown
• Add the Lasagne Sauce (Store-bought is fine, if not available make your own, see tips below)  
• Enhance the taste by adding 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 stock pot or cube. 
• Turn off the heat when it starts simmering. 

Make White Sauce. (pre-made available, but home made is lot better)

• Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan on medium heat
• Add 2 tbsp flour and cook until light brown 
• Add the hot milk gradually while stirring (if you add all milk in one go, you will get lumps, if you still get lumps, don't panic, just strain it)
• Enhance the taste by adding 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1 stock pot or cube.
• Turn off the heat when it starts simmering. 

Layering:(divide the ingredients depending on the number of layers)

• Spread a layer of Ragu in a ovenproof dish, lightly covering the bottom
• Place Lasagne sheets over to cover the Ragu (you can break the sheets to fit)
• Sprinkle a layer of the shredded Mozzarella 
• Add another layer of Ragu
• Repeat the above layering 3 times
• Pour the white sauce over and spread to cover the top. 
• Sprinkle the rest of the Mozzarella over it
• Cover with a tinfoil (to avoid burning of the top)

Baking: 

• Preheat the oven to 200c
• Place the dish in the middle of the preheated oven
• After 30 minutes take the tin foil off
• Bake for another 10 minutes
• Bring it out

Serving:

• Let it rest for 1 hour 
• Garnish with some Chives or Parsley or Green Onions (food must look nice!)
• Sprikle some grated Parmesan over it
• Drizzle some Olive oil (I use chilli-olive oil)  

Tips: 

• Lasagne Sauce: It is basically a tomato sauce with herbs and spices. Add anything you like to suite your taste. It can be Italian or fusion. Basic ingredients are tomato purée, basil, bay leaf, water, salt and black pepper.

• Stock: It is one of the most important ingredients in Western cooking, completely unknown in Asian cooking. It is made with a lengthy and complex process. To make life easy use stock pots or stock cubes (oxo), I use vegetarian ones. If they are not available, use tasting salt (msg).