Lasagna – New Improved Recipe.

It’s not my Nonna’s famous one but my own variation! Be warned this is a day task!!

Enjoy! This recipe cooks 6 portions!

Ingredients:

1. Lasagna Sheets (gluten free – I used Marks and Spencer ones)

2. Mozzarella – always use ball mozzarella not shredded. So much better.

Sugo/Sauce and Meatballs:

1. 1 pack of minced meat,

2. basil (fresh),

3. 4 garlic cloves,

4. 1 onion,

5. peeled plum tomatoes or chopped tomatoes – tins x 4,

6. half a tube of tomato purée,

7. a handful of fresh tomatoes (plum if possible)

White Sauce

1. Some Parmesan, grated.

2. 60g butter

3. 40g gluten free flour

4. 500ml of blue milk

Method:

Sauce:

1. Chop the onion and garlic into tiny chunks and fry until soft.

2. Add tomato puree and mix in until it covers every onion piece.

3. Add the peeled plum tomatoes in sauce. I add the tomatoes then fill half the can up and pour the tomatoey water (yes that’s a word now) into the sauce. I do this for each can otherwise the sauce can become very acidic.

4. Add the fresh basil. I like to add this half chopped, half whole as the whole pieces will give a fuller flavour and release more when you let it simmer.

5. Add the plum tomatoes whole. Stab a tiny hole in with a fork so some of the juice releases but other than that leave them whole. Again, the flavour is better.

6. Leave to simmer for as long as you can on a low heat. At least 30 mins! The longer, the better. Stir occasionally.

Meatballs:

1. Sprinkle chopped basil over minced meat and roll into small balls.

2. Fry in olive oil until full cooked all over.

Once you meatballs are cooked, add them to your already simmering sauce.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/7 / 200c.  I bet it smells good already.

White Sauce:

Now I found it hard to crack the white sauce myself. It’s very demanding and requires a lot of nurture. So the first few times I made it, I did in fact have Tesco Gluten Free Lasagna White Sauce in my cupboard handy (this is great if you slip up – very good). However if you are feeling brave (go on, give it a go) then here is the white sauce:

1. Melt the butter in a small pan on a low heat.

2. Stir in a small amount of the gluten free flour (add this bit by bit) and whisk. Then add in very small amounts of the milk. The trick is to stir this in bit by bit.

3. Stir gently and constantly until it becomes thick and creamy. If it is too thick and sticks, you need more milk but do not add too much. Stir in a little grated Parmesan.

Piecing your lasagna together:

Add some of the bolognese mixture to the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Then some lasagna sheets. Then some white sauce followed by some mozzarella chunks. Continue to make these layers until the dish is full. I like to finish with a layer of the white sauce followed by a sprinkle of grated parmesan.

Cook for around 30 minutes. When it is golden brown test that the pasta is soft enough to eat and you can cut through. Leave to cool before serving. Use basil to finish.