Lasagna

[bron]

Lasagna:
Serves 6/8:
Ingredients:
18 ready to use lasagna sheets- the ones that don't need cooking/soaking (sorry can't think of better word)

The tomato sauce
50g olive oil
130g carrots
130g onion
180g mushroom (didn't have any)
50g green pepper
50g celery
2 cloves garlic
500g tinned chopped tomatoes

The rest
500g mince meat (I use mix pork and beef)
1/2 glass red wine (drank the other 1/2!)
salt, pepper, oregano
bay leaf

Bechamel Sauce
10g olive oil
50g butter
60g flour
800g milk
nutmeg, salt, pepper

Grated cheese to finish off
Preparation:
Firstly grate the cheese! Speed 7 a few seconds. Keep aside.

Place all the ingredients for the tomato sauce in THX and blitz 15 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down with spatula and program 7 mins, Temp Varoma, Speed 1.

Then add the meat, mixing it in well with the spatula, add salt and spices and red wine and program 15 mins, Temp Varoma, reverse (anticlockwise) spoon soft. Place in a bowl.

Without washing the THX! add olive oil and butter and program 2 mins, Temp Varoma, Speed 1. Add flour, and further 2 mins, Temp 100º, Speed 1 and 1/2. Add milk and salt, pepper and nutmeg, program 9 mins 100º, Speed 4.

In the meantime, preheat oven 200º and grease a deepish tin or dish with some butter and start off with a layer of pasta, place half meat sauce on this, some more pasta, the other half meat sauce, the last layer of pasta, and cover with the bechamel sauce and the grated cheese on top. Straight into the oven for 20 or 25 mins, till its lovely golden brown.

Photos:

Tips/Hints:

I always leave it to stand for 10 mins as its easier to serve and not so hot!! No burnt tongues!

There have been no reviews of this recipe to date

[brazen20au]

YUM!

ps: instant lasagna

[Thermomixer]

Here, here - YUM - great work.

Yes, in Oz we call them "instant" ?? probably just because they are placed in the dish without needing the pre-cooking. 

But they are harder than the "need to cook first" type ?? go figure.

[judydawn]

Buy fresh lasagne sheets, they are brilliant.  I sometimes buy an extra pack and freeze them.

[brazen20au]

the fresh ones are full of preservatives  we avoid them as they can send my kids a bit troppo (all the latina 'fresh')

i have finally found a GF pasta recipe so will be trying making my own fresh pasta again sooN!!!!

[bron]

Thanks for the instant!!
The instant stuff, works fantastically!! The sauces need to quite liquid and hot to make this lasagna perfect. Just follow my instructions and the family will love it! Just a simple everyday family meal, that freezes beautifully too!

[CarolineW]

Thanks for the recipe, Bron.  It sounds lovely, and I'll definitely give it a go.

Like brazen, I usually make my own pasta for lasagne.  I knock up a batch from the TM recipe book, roll it out, cut into lasagne dish size sheets, and freeze until needed.  Or batch cook lasagnes which I then freeze.  It's very easy, and tastes better.  More hassle when you just want to turn out a quick meal, of course - but then, lasagne's always a bit of hassle, really, isn't it?  I always think that if I'm going to go to the trouble, I may as well go the whole hog.  So I do batches of each of the component parts spread over a couple of days, and then make up several lasagnes.  One for dinner, and the rest for the freezer.  Sometimes I use cottage cheese instead of the bechamel sauce.  Healthy and delicious, and rings the changes.

[bron]

Maybe you could post the recipe for the lasagna sheets, not in our books! Sounds fab!
Can you just use straight in the oven like the instant stuff? Please say yes!
We love lasagna, funny how I don't find its too much of a hassle, try it in the THX, I promise its easy

[Thermomixer]

Can you just use straight in the oven like the instant stuff? Please say yes!

Lo siento - NO.    Use a basic pasta recipe and if you have a pasta machine, then roll to about level 5 or 6 - long strips and cut into pieces that you then cook in boiling water - refresh and drain/place on tea-towels is how I do it.

It may be possible to place straight in - but that is how I've been taught.

[CarolineW]

Well, have got to admit that I do put it straight in - although I know I shouldn't    It isn't as good a texture as if I'd done the boil first, but hey - my family still like it 

[CarolineW]

Sorry, forgot to mention that I make sure it's well covered with sauce, though, so that it cooks in that.  Same as the instant stuff, really.

I will post it for you, Bron - although I need to go now so won't have time today.  Remind me if I haven't posted it by Monday!

[bron]

Thanks Caroline, will definitely give it a go. I guess it will fine, as long as the sauce is very hot, very liquidy and fully covers the pasta....same as the instant stuff.

[Thermomixer]

Well, have got to admit that I do put it straight in - although I know I shouldn't    It isn't as good a texture as if I'd done the boil first, but hey - my family still like it 

Thanks - I'll have to try it - it does get cooked so not sure why we need to boil it first?