Lasagna

I had posted this Lasagna recipe during my early  blogging days. We had guests over this weekend and this was one of the dishes I made for them. While clicking pictures of other dishes, I thought of taking some pictures of Lasagna as my earlier pictures were really terrible ;)

Lasagna

Ingredients:
Lasagne sheets-12 squares or 6-8 rectangle sheets
Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pan and stir in the olive oil. Add the lasagne sheets and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain again and set aside to cool.

For Meat Layer:
Minced chicken / beef  - 2 cups
Carrot - 1/2 cup, chopped
Cabbage - 1/2 cup  chopped
Onion -1 medium, chopped
Garlic - 2-3 cloves, chopped
Celery - 2 inch stalk, chopped
Capsicum - 1 chopped
Olive oil / Butter-2 tbsp
Tomatoes - 3 large, pureed adding 1/2 cup water
Red chili powder - 1/2 - 1tsp
Black pepper powder - to taste
Tomato ketchup - 4 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
Basil -1/2 tsp
Oregano-1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Method:

• To make the chicken layer, heat the olive oil / butter in a pan.
• Add onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
• Add minced chicken / beef and continue to sauté over high heat for three to four minutes.
• In to this add carrot, cabbage, capsicum, celery and sauté.
• Lower heat, add red chilly powder, black pepper powder, pureed tomato, tomato ketchup,sugar and salt and simmer till mince is tender and sauce is thick.
• Stir in nutmeg powder, basil and oregano and mix well and keep aside.

For White Sauce:
Butter -2 tbsp
All purpose flour/ Maida - 2 tbsp
Milk -1 cup
Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Grated cheese -1 cup

Method:

• Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Whish in milk and cook, stirring, over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Turn off flame and add salt and pepper to taste.

How to assemble:

• In the bottom of a casserole dish place a thin layer of white sauce, then a layer of cooked lasagna sheets, top with a layer of the meat mixture, cover with some lasagna sheets, white sauce and add some grated cheese.
• Repeat layers ending with lasagna sheets, white sauce and cheese.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree (180 degree C) oven for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.