Home Made Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
I’m not giving quantities for this as the result is really up to the cook. I like lots of basil and black pepper – you may prefer less, or want to add different herbs and spices.
First cut up the tomatoes and whizz through a food processor, skin and all. Put the pulp in a bowl or jug. If you don’t have a processor or blender, chop very finely. It will be a lumpier sauce, but still mighty good.
In a large, deep bottomed pan heat two tablespoons of olive oil, and gently cook chopped onion until it is soft. I used young spring onions, as I like the flavor, but you can use Spanish or white onions. Add crushed garlic (yes, I like lots! Use one or two cloves, or a whole bunch, just adjust to your own taste). When the oil, onions and garlic are well blended and the vegetables very soft, (don’t get the pan too hot, or they will burn) add the tomatoe pulp.
Bring the pulp to the boil and chop up some fresh basil leaves. Again, go by your own tastes here – I chopped up half a bunch, and saved the rest to make pesto.
Stir the basil into the pulp. As it comes to the boil, the sauce will lose that foamy white look and become deep red – like this:
germy-001
Let it bubble like this until the white foam is all gone, and turn down the heat so it can simmer. At this point, you can start tasting and adjusting the seasoning to suit yourself. I added sea salt and cracked black pepper, oregano, sage and a couple of bay leaves – sometimes I add red wine, fresh parsley – whatever I feel like and is available.
Keep simmering until the pulp has reduced and is a rich deep red. You will notice the pulp thickening – keep stirring it, making sure all the herbs and the olive oil are well mixed in.
It should look like this:
germy-002
Turn the heat off and let it cool, before putting into plastic containers for the freezer. If you want to put it in jars, do this while the jars and the mixture are hot.
germy-006
Beef, Bacon and Cheese Lasagna
This is a very rich lasagna – a little goes a long way, but it’s perfect for a crowd.
500gr minced beef
500gr bacon pieces
4 cups pasta sauce (or a large jar shop bought)
olive oil
Cheese sauce:
2 tablespoons flour (any will do)
2 tablspoons butter
Milk
grated cheese
salt and pepper
Heat the oilive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and cook the mince beef until mostly brown, then add the bacon pieces and stir together. Add the sauce, simmer for about ten minutes and take off the heat.
Make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a small pan over low heat (the butter must not burn). Turn up the heat until the butter is bubbling (but not browning) and stir in the flour. Cook the roux for a few seconds, then start adding milk, constantly stirring, until the consistency of custard. You can make it thicker or thinner as you wish by adding more or less milk, but white sauce for lasagna sould be fairly thick. You will need around two cups of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in about a cup of grated cheese – I like a well matured cheddar. Take off the heat.
Assemble the lasanga in a deep dish by spooning a little sauce mixed with water into the bottom of the dish to keep the bottom layer of pasta moist. Put down one layer of instant or fresh lasagna pasta. Spoon over half the meat sauce and level off. Add another layer of pasta, and spoon over the rest of the sauce.
Top the meat sauce with one more layer of pasta, and pour over the cheese sauce to completely cover the last layer of pasta. Make sure no pasta is showing, or it will not cook. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese.
Bake the lasagna in a hot oven for about twenty minutes or until the top is brown and the pasta cooked through.
Serve with a smile.
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