BEEF LASAGNE
Comfort food tonight. Fluffy rich cheese sauce under a crunchy topping on my lasagne.
- 750 g lean beef mince
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large carrot grated coarsely
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin tomato puree
- 15 ml dried Italian herbs
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 250 g lasagne sheets (no pre cooking required)
- Oil for frying
- Cheese sauce:
- 1 litre medium thick white sauce
- 2 cups Mature Cheddar coarsely grated
- 4 eggs*
- Crunchy topping:
- ½ cup of dried breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
Fry the onion, carrots and garlic for a few minutes then add the mince and fry until loose. Add the tins of tomato and spices and allow to simmer at least half an hour for the flavours to develop. I make the sauce a bit finer with a stick blender.
In the meantime make the white sauce, beat the eggs and stir into the sauce and add the cheese.
Spray an ovenproof dish of at least 3 litre content with Cook and Spray. Spoon enough meat sauce to cover the bottom the dish. Put the uncooked pasta sheets on the meat sauce taking care not to overlap one another as it will become sticky and chewy at that spot. Spoon meat sauce over and layer lasagne sheets again. You should get about 3 layers of sheets in. Over the last layer pour the rich cheesy white sauce. Sprinkle with the mixed Parmesan and breadcrumbs and allow to stand for 30 minutes before baking. This time will assist with the softening of the lasagne sheets. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting portions and serving.
Note:*the eggs in the cheese sauce makes the sauce fluffy and puffy and can be left out if preferred.
Recipe and photo: Elsabie Templeton
https://yourrecipeblog.com/recipes/basic-white-sauce-with-variations/
