Recipe of the day: Lasagna

Here's a recipe you can try at home, which is every bit delicious and calorie-specific, when trying to stick to a healthy eating regimen

Lasagna

Serves 8

Ingredients

•1 White onion (finely chopped)

•1 medium Carrot (finely diced)

•1 stick Celery (finely diced)

•2 cloves Garlic (minced)

•1kg lean Beef mince

•800gms tinned chopped Tomatoes

•100gms Tomato paste

•3tsp Beef bouillon

•2 Bay leaves

•½tsp dried thyme

•½tsp dried oregano

•2tsp Worcestershire sauce

•Salt & pepper to taste

Bechamel

•60gms Butter

•75gms Flour

•1ltr milk

•200gms Parmesan

•Pinch of nutmeg

•Salt & pepper to taste

Lasagna

•350gms dried Lasagna sheets

•150gms shredded Mozzarella

Method

Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes until softened and sweet — they should not brown (if they do, turn heat down).

Add beef, turn heat up and cook the beef, breaking it up as you go.

Once the beef has turned brown, add the remaining ragu ingredients.

Stir then, adjusting the heat so it is simmering very gently. Place the lid on and cook for 1.5-2 hours, stirring every now and then, then remove the lid and simmer for 30 minutes.

The ragu is ready when the meat is really tender and the sauce has thickened and is rich. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bechamel sauce

Warm milk in a saucepan (optional - just makes sauce thicken faster).

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Add flour and mix constantly for 1 minute.

Pour about 1 cup of the milk in, mixing as you go to incorporate into the flour mixture. Once mostly lump-free, add remaining milk. Use a whisk if needed to make it lump-free.

Turn heat up to medium high. Stir occasionally at first then regularly after a few minutes until sauce thickens — about 5-8 minutes. It should coat the back of the wooden spoon.

Remove from heat, add cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until the cheese is melted. The sauce should be thick but still easily pourable; if it’s too thick, add a splash of water or milk.

Assemble

•Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.

•Use a sufficient size baking dish.

•Smear a bit of ragu on the base, then cover with lasagna sheets. Break sheets to fit.

•Spread a layer of ragu (enough to cover sheets), then drizzle over 1 cup of cheese sauce.

•Top with lasagna sheets, spread with another layer of ragu, then 1 cup of cheese sauce. Top with lasagna sheets, then repeat 1 more time.

•Top with a fourth layer of lasagna sheets, then pour over the remaining cheese sauce.

•Sprinkle with mozzarella, then bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

•Stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serving size approx.

250g = 450 calories

• Dubai