Lasagne recipe

I've made lasagne so many times off the top of my head, but had no idea what measurements I was using until last week when I went through and measured it all out.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1t dried oregano
• 1t dried basil
• 2T tomato paste
• 500g beef mince
• 1T soy sauce
• 2T fruit chutney
• 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 500g jar pasta sauce
• 1/2c red lentils, boiled in water for 10 minutes (Optional)
• 1 zucchini, grated or 1 capsicum, diced
• 2T butter
• 2T flour
• 2c milk
• 1c cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Pre-cooked pasta sheets
• Extra cheese for topping
• 1/4c breadcrumbs or LSA
• Large pinch Italian herbs

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 


2. If using lentils, bring a small pot of water to the boil and add the red lentils. Cook uncovered for ten minutes. 


3. Meanwhile, sauté onion, garlic, oregano and basil together on a medium-high heat until soft, then add the tomato paste and fry off for about 30 seconds. 


4. Add the mince and brown it, pressing down with a fork or potato masher to crumble. 


5. Stir in the soy sauce, chutney, chopped tomatoes, pasta sauce, drained lentils and zucchini/capsicum. Mix and gently simmer (stirring occasionally) while you make the cheese sauce. 

6. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium high heat. Add the flour and stir with a wire whisk for one minute.


7. Turn the heat down to low and add 1/4c of the milk. Whisk to remove all lumps.


8. Once sauce has thickened, add another 1/4c of milk. Repeat and continue until all the milk has been added and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.


9. Take saucepan off heat and add the cheese, whisking until it has melted and mixed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

10. To assemble the lasagne, layer half the meat sauce on the bottom of a 30cm x 20cm baking dish. 

11. Cover with a layer of pasta sheets (usually two sheets).

12. Spread half the cheese sauce over lasagne sheets. 


13. Repeat by layering the rest of the meat sauce over the cheese sauce, covering with two more lasagne sheets and spreading the rest of the cheese sauce over top. 


14. Finish with an extra sprinkle of cheese, breadcrumbs/LSA and Italian herbs. 


15. Bake at 180°C for around 35 minutes, or according to pasta packet instructions. Leave to set for 5 minutes before serving.

In case you're wondering why I put red lentils in my lasagne, it's because they're cheap and nutritious. Lentils provide both fibre and protein, and their texture blends well with mince dishes. Because meat is expensive, I try to stretch it further by adding lentils wherever I can.

What are your favourite lasagne ingredients?