Lasagne Recipes!

I no longer want to buy the dodgy lasagne from the cold section in coles.

Can you please tell me how you make yours (in particular the bechamel cheese sauce) mmmmmm! ;)

I was thinking of putting spinach with it as well.

I googled Lasange recipe and printed the San Remo brands one. Its B E A UTIFUL (said like Jim Carey) but I do substitute the white wine with red but I just love the richer flavour.

ETD - the white sauce is easy I do also add extra cheese and make it super cheesy though the white sauce is part of the recipe - I love cheese

I don't make it often but when I do DH makes an absolute pig of himself.

I began with the San Remo one too, its a good place to start.

I bought the san remo lasgne sheets. I just realised it has the recipe on the back. I assume its the same one you girls are talking about. Will check the website. If it is good will give it a go. :)

Thankyou :)

Ali, this is my mums recipe, including the tomato sauce so that non of it is really shop bought. I used to love this stuff! Pilfered straight off her blog, lol.

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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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i no longer make lasagne any more as we now have a new favourite..... lasagne pasta bake

i make my bog sauce fairly sauceylots of veg..lots of garlic at this time of the yr cook up pasta
(usually penne) put all cooked penne bottom of a baking dish then bog sauce then white sauce i dont make a bechemel

white sauce is equal parts butter flour and then milk until nice saucey texture..
then i put parmasen and tasty cheese on top...\
chuck it in the oven for about 20 minutes!!!!



sorry for dodgyness typing one handed

The San Remo recipe is a good one to try. I add lots of vegies to my lasagne as well and DD LOVES it! Last week I made a basic meat sauce and added chopped spinach, mushrooms and grated carrot and zucchini. It is definately a winner at our house!

I have learned, make the meat sauce 'saucier' that you would think necessary. I've made the mistake of thinking it was too runny and then it ends up dry because the pasta sheets take up a fair bit of moisture when baking.

Inertia- Thankyou for sharing your mums recipe! Sounds yum

Doudou- I love the sound of lasagne pasta bake.

Alicia- great idea to grate carrot and Zuchinni in as well. Oh I cant wait to make this!

Ausgirl- great tip about making the meat sauce runnier! thanks for that.

I don't usually bother to make my own meat sauce I just use a can of bolognaise sauce with meat (there are a couple of brands available). Sounds dodgy but it's not. My mum always made it that way & everyone loves her lasagne more than anyone who does it the hard way.

The best ever bechamel sauce recipe I got off the back of a Rinoldi lasagne sheets pack:
60g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
1 cup shredded tasy cheese
salt & pepper to taste
(it also suggests 1/4 cup of paremesan cheese but I don't use it)

Melt butter, add flour cook for 1 min. Add milk, stirring until thickened. Add remaining ingredients stir until cheese melts.

The white sauce is quite sloppy but it makes the best lasagne.

I just have one tip for you. Use fresh lasagne sheets - not the dried stuff. It makes it HEAPS better. And they're easier to shape into the dish (you'll know what I mean if you'v ever tried snapping a dried sheet to fit the pan..)

Although using fresh sheets doesn't cause so much fluid to be soaked up - so keep this in mind.

Totally agree with Nettie re: fresh lasagna sheets.....would never go back to the dry stuff. I just get coles brand....

here is my recipe - cheats version...but very good...

1 packed fresh lasagne sheets
assorted vegetables ( I like carrots, sweet potato, mushrooms in mine)
1 jar pasta sauce (like I said quick recipe so not for our gourmet chefs out there)
500g low fat ricotta (add some parmesan cheese and black pepper for a bit of flavour)
1 cup grated low fat cheese for the topping

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees then cut and steam your vegies in the microwave (you can saute if you prefer and have time up your sleeve). Add the pasta sauce to your vegies and season with salt and pepper. Spread 2-3Tbsp of this vegie mixture across the bottom of your oven dish then place a layer of lasagne sheets on top. Cover with 1/2 vegetables and another layer of lasagne sheets then 1/2 ricotta mixture and repeat the vegie and ricotta layers putting grated cheese on top of the ricotta and place in oven for about 40 minutes or until cheese is golden on top.Easy peasy......

I absolutely LOVE lasagne but I seriously cannot make it to save my life - I have tried so many times with a few different recipes but it's always bad...I might try with the fresh lasagne sheets and see if that helps!

Best tip - don't go for low-fat. Seriously. It's like good ice-cream, there's just no point in doing it half-way. Indulge...

The best way to get a really creamy lasagne, is... drum-roll.... Cream.

Start with a very juicy and well cooked bolognese. I put lots of garlic, rosemary, thyme, a fresh bay leaf, onion, carrot, celery, bacon, mushrooms, red wine, tomato passata, tomato paste, veg stock, and simmer for at least two hours, but you can use whatever you want really, as long as it ends up rich and juicy. Some regional recipes call for a mix of beef and pork mince, others call for chicken livers. I use neither. Once it's done, stir double cream into the sauce, till it's nice and creamy. If I'm making vegie lasagne, I use a well flavoured and wet tomato based sauce, adding vegies like carrot, broccoli, celery, then layer char-grilled vegies (sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini, capsicum) when making it.

Make your bechamel - make a roux and add milk, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, a bit of pepper, nutmeg (even better if freshly grated), cool slightly and add double cream to further thicken it.

Always start with a layer of sauce, this prevents it sticking to the dish. Then layer (fresh) pasta, sauce, then drizzle bechamel, then sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan, repeat until you have run out of stuff or out of dish room. The last layer should be pasta, then spread bechamel, then sprinkle with lots of mozzarella and parmesan. Then bake until golden and yummy and oozing with lasagney goodness. Eat. Call ambulance (yes, it is instant heart attack material).

WELL I MADE LASAGNE TONIGHT!!!! :clap: for me! hehehe

And it was sooooooo good!!!! I feel really proud (I know its a bit silly but I have always wanted to make lasagne and always put it in the too hard basket.

So I basically followed the san remo recipe but like Suse suggested I added cream (not good for the diet but wanted to impress DP with my cooking skills) :ROFL:

I also added extra veges by grating carrot, zucchini, added mushrooms and some spinach.

THe best thing is it made so much so DP will be stoked that he will be having lasagne for the week when he tastes how good it is!

Thanks for all your suggestions girls!

I've actually been approached by a stranger (my apologies for forgetting who you are) telling me they found my lasagne/bolognaise recipe here... :o how cool ;)

Im making lasagna next Friday night but cant find a recipe in my collection!

I want a really yummy one... Who doesn't? :lol:

So throw them at me ladies!

Do you add anything to make it extra yummy?

Not worried about the fat???

Then -
Meat
I make basically a spag bol mix (diced carrots, capsicum, zuchinni, onion)minus the spaghetti
Extra rich tomatoey sauce, napoletana jar, tin tomatoes, two tabs tomato paste, little sugar to cut acid, herbs, etc. Sauce needs to be reasonably runny as the pasta sheets soak up a fair amount of moisture.

What makes it extra yummy is a really good cheese sauce. Make a roux (equal parts cornflour and butter) mixed together over heat until it comes together then add full cream milk until smooth and thickened, not too think as the cheese makes it thicker.
Then add grated cheese (your choice, but cheddar and parmesan are nice) to taste, lots if you want it extra yummy. Salt and nutmeg.

You can either put this sauce only on the top or after meat on each layer.

Someone once told me they put sliced ham on top of each layer for extra deliciousness though I've not tried that myself.