Lasagne is something I’ve been making since ‘forever’ and it’s a staple comfort food in our home. I’ve never had a recipe, I just throw in what I like and over the years I’ve fine tuned this baby and I’m sharing my ‘recipe’ with you all.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED…
500g beef mince (I use organic but use what you like)
250g veal or pork mince
1 leek washed and diced
2 onions diced
4 cloves garlic (at least) chopped finely
3 stalks of celery diced
1 zucchini grated
handful of mushrooms chopped
1 large jar of tomato passata
6-8 capsicums roasted
2 large tablespoons basil pesto
2 teaspoons cinnamon
salt pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
oil, butter
1/4cup plain flour
100g butter
1 cup milk
OK LET”S DO THIS…
The first thing I do is blitz my lovely sweet roasted capsicums with olive oil and a little brown sugar. Drizzle the oil in slowly a little at a time and blitz.
Sweat off the onion, leek, celery and garlic in a pan with basil pesto, a knob of butter and a few glugs of olive oil.
Add the mince (sorry vegetarians) and break up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
This is when I transfer everything to a wok…I know weird hey but I like the size.
Add zucchini, mushrooms, capsicum, passata, salt, pepper, cinnamon, brown sugar and any other herbs you fancy. Now, let this pot of deliciousness bubble away at a simmer for about half an hour (longer if you have time)
Prepare the lasagne dish by adding a little passata to the dish and spreading it all over the base. This will help stop the lasagne sticking to the dish. Yup, that’s my secret.
Grab your lasagne sheets ( I prefer fresh lasagne sheets) and layer the base, spoon over a few good sized ladles of the mince sauce and repeat. I normally get 3 layers of pasta sheets and the top layer is a mince layer.
Cover the top with a béchamel sauce, grated cheese and bake until golden…mine was really golden! Woops. You can add several cheeses to the top to add another taste dimension. Sometimes I add bocconcini to the layers for a little gooiness. 🙂
Do you know how to make a béchamel sauce? Here’s how I do it.
It’s simple just melt 100g (approx.) of butter in a saucepan and add the flour. I use a wooden spoon here to stir and ‘cook off’ the flour for about 30 seconds then add the milk. Add some salt and pepper or even a little pesto and stir with a whisk until it thickens then pour over the top of your lasagne…pretty easy.
It’s best to let the lasagne stand for an hour (helps keep the shape) and it’s always extra tasty warmed up the next day. (always)
Serve with crusty bread, a salad or enjoy on its own. Your tummy will be super happy with this warming goodness in it..I promise.
Do you have a ‘secret weapon ingredient when it comes to lasagne? I’d love you to share.
Til next time,
Jen x
Magda says
April 27, 2015 at 9:06 pmYum Jenni.
My secret is making my meat sauce with less tomato and more red wine. It gives it a rich flavour that’s not big on tomato (a pet hate of my husband’s). I’ve had lots of good comments about it. Like you I don’t use a recipe. I just know what to do.
M
Jenni says
April 28, 2015 at 5:35 pmOh yes, red wine makes s lovely rich sauce!
Zoe from A Quirky Bird says
April 28, 2015 at 5:10 amOh Jen, this sounds amazing. I have tried a number of times to make lasagna without success. My mum was never a lasagna maker so I was clueless and always used dry lasagna sheets. Then I stumbled across a recipe for slow cooked lasagna and never looked back. I going to give yours a whirl it looks scrummy. Yes, my wok is for much more than stirf-fries too. Zoe xx
Jenni says
April 28, 2015 at 5:36 pmGive it a try Zoe, Tis easy x
Kylie says
May 13, 2015 at 2:39 pmZoe pleaaaase will you share your recipe?
Beautiful Jen yours is on the menu for Sunday night at my house 😉 x
erin says
April 28, 2015 at 6:02 pmHeaven! Reminds me so much of my mums!
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
April 28, 2015 at 8:46 pmMan, that looks so good, I love the addition of the blitzed roasted peppers. That’s genius that is!
Jenni says
April 29, 2015 at 8:14 pmAdds a delish sweet flavour x
Sue anderson says
April 28, 2015 at 9:56 pmi add a tin of spicy tomato soup to my meat mix
Jenni says
April 30, 2015 at 1:40 pmOh spicey Sue…good one x
Heather says
April 28, 2015 at 10:00 pmI love lasagne, but my husband doesn’t, I am going to try your recipe and see if I can change his opinion. It sound delicious, real comfort food. Thanks for sharing.
Fleur | our urban box says
May 3, 2015 at 5:44 amI have a great lasange recipe that I’ve been meaning to share. But this one sounds yum as well! can never have too many great varieties to work with!
Jenni says
May 3, 2015 at 2:24 pmFleur I’d love to try your recipe
Kerry hersbach says
January 3, 2016 at 3:16 pmWhat a fab recipe! Being a wog girl my nona taught me when I was 5 our family lasagne recipe and I have in turn taught my children. Nothing beats making it all from scratch…. Even the pasta. The best ingredient is the love though…. Call me corny but especially this time of year when I have all my kids under one roof for a change it makes it taste extra special! I’ll definitely be giving your recipe a go! Tonight in the Hersbach House of Happiness it’s Nona’s chicken risotto….. Sooooo bloody easy and you can feed an army which is practically what I’m doing tonight lol xx
Jenni says
January 3, 2016 at 3:20 pmAhhh yes a risotto is a family fave in our house too. Enjoy your night surrounded by your family Kerry x
TaNya says
March 21, 2016 at 7:25 pmI add balsamic vinegar to the tomato meat component
Jenni says
March 22, 2016 at 10:51 amOhhh nice one 🙂
Vicki Randell says
June 3, 2018 at 6:34 pmI use slices of eggplant instead of pasta to make a low carb version.
Bron says
June 3, 2018 at 6:46 pmI’m originally South African and I was brought up with Mrs Balls chutney, which is from South Africa always in lasagna.
Jan MacGowan says
June 3, 2018 at 7:36 pmI add a beaten egg, grated cheese and some cream to the bechamel. Makes it richer and it puffs up as it cooks. No need to put cheese on top as it Browns beautifully.