Lasagna

Lasagna

Ingredients

Pasta

• Penne pasta (or any pasta of your choice) 1 packet of 400 grams
• Salt 1 tsp
• Oregano 1 tsp
• Water to boil the pasta

Meat sauce

• Oil 3 tbsp
• Onion 1 big, chopped
• Ginger paste 1/2 tsp
• Garlic paste 1/2 tsp
• Minced chicken 500 grams
• Salt 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder 1 tsp
• Oregano 1 tsp
• Basil 1 tsp
• Tomato pasta 1 packet [135 grams]
• Water 1 cup or more

Bechamel Sauce

• Butter 3 tbsp
• All purpose flour 3 tbsp
• Milk 2-3 cups
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp

Other

• Mozarella cheese
• Pasta Sauce 5-6 tbsp

Preparation

1. Pasta: Boil pasta in water, seasoned with salt and oregano according to package instructions.
2. Drain, rinse with tap water, keep aside.
3. Meat sauce: Sauté onion in 3 tbsp oil until soft.
4. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook until raw smell goes off.
5. Add minced chicken, salt, black pepper and oregano and mix thoroughly.
6. Add tomato paste and water. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the moisture. evaporates.
7. Now cook for 5-6 minutes without adding water, this will help eliminate the odour of the raw chicken, if left any.
8. Lastly, add water to adjust the consistency of the meat sauce, let cook for 1 more minute and turn the flame off. Keep aside.
9. Bechamel sauce: Melt butter in a pot on a medium flame and stir in the flour until smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden, sandy color, about 5-7 minutes.
10. Add 1 cup of milk and stir until there are no lumps.
11. Add 1 more cup of milk and stir.
12. Add salt, black pepper powder and nutmeg. Cook, stirring continuously until thickened. Add more milk if the Bechamel sauce is too thick. (It depends how heaped your flour spoons were. I had to use 3 cups of milk in total).
13. Turn the flame off and start assembling the lasagna.
14. Layers: Preheat the oven to 180°
15. Take a big rectangular casserole and brush with Pasta sauce. This keeps the lasagna moist and prevents the paste from sticking at the bottom.
16. Place half of the boiled paste, layer with half of the bechamel sauce and top with half of the meat sauce. Then sprinkle generous quantity of mozzarella cheese on top.  Repeat with the second layer. Top it off with mozzarella cheese.
17. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes, so that the cheese in the middle melts properly and binds the layers together.
18. Take out of the oven and serve immediately.
19. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/58jPpZEIMuA

Print Recipe

Lasagna

Author: Naush

Ingredients

Pasta

• Penne pasta or any pasta of your choice 1 packet of 400 grams
• Salt 1 tsp
• Oregano 1 tsp
• Water to boil the pasta

Meat sauce

• Oil 3 tbsp
• Onion 1 big chopped
• Ginger paste 1/2 tsp
• Garlic paste 1/2 tsp
• Minced chicken 500 grams
• Salt 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder 1 tsp
• Oregano 1 tsp
• Basil 1 tsp
• Tomato pasta 1 packet [135 grams]
• Water 1 cup or more

Bechamel Sauce

• Butter 3 tbsp
• All purpose flour 3 tbsp
• Milk 2-3 cups
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp

Other

• Mozarella cheese as needed
• Pasta Sauce 5-6 tbsp

Instructions

• Pasta: Boil pasta in water, seasoned with salt and oregano according to package instructions.
• Drain, rinse with tap water, keep aside.
• Meat sauce: Sauté onion in 3 tbsp oil until soft.
• Add ginger and garlic paste and cook until raw smell goes off.
• Add minced chicken, salt, black pepper and oregano and mix thoroughly.
• Add tomato paste and water. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the moisture. evaporates.
• Now cook for 5-6 minutes without adding water, this will help eliminate the odour of the raw chicken, if left any.
• Lastly, add water to adjust the consistency of the meat sauce, let cook for 1 more minute and turn the flame off. Keep aside.
• Bechamel sauce: Melt butter in a pot on a medium flame and stir in the flour until smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden, sandy color, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of milk and stir until there are no lumps.
• Add 1 more cup of milk and stir.
• Add salt, black pepper powder and nutmeg. Cook, stirring continuously until thickened. Add more milk if the Bechamel sauce is too thick. (It depends how heaped your flour spoons were. I had to use 3 cups of milk in total).
• Turn the flame off and start assembling the lasagna.
• Layers: Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Take a big rectangular casserole and brush with Pasta sauce. This keeps the lasagna moist and prevents the paste from sticking at the bottom.
• Place half of the boiled paste, layer with half of the bechamel sauce and top with half of the meat sauce. Then sprinkle generous quantity of mozzarella cheese on top. Repeat with the second layer. Top it off with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes, so that the cheese in the middle melts properly and binds the layers together.
• Take out of the oven and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!