Lasagna Cheat
Good day everyone!!
Last weekend we had a post birthday celebration for my sister, and one of the highlights of our food spread was our lasagna. I'm pretty sure its not like how the Italians make it so, my apologies for taking a classic and spinning it off, from watching a lot Jamie Oliver goes to Italy episodes I'm well aware that that is a no-no to the Italians. But nevertheless, this recipe has become one of my favourites! I make a whole pyrex dish of it and I never see a morsel the following day!!
It's a long process if you think of it but it's all worth it I promise!!
So you'll be needing:
3/4 kilo lean ground beef
2 big cloves of garlic
1 white onion
8 -10 pcs. Basil leaves, fresh
around 350-450ml of tomato sauce
1 carton/ 200ml of All purpose cream (can use cooking cream instead)-- i think I can also call this a lasagna hack!
16 lasagna noodles (depending on size some use 12, i just base it on the pack that you buy. usually you would consume one of those packs for one tray of lasagna.)
a beef stock cube or here in the Philippines its called a "beef knorr cube"(chefs, stand your ground dont judge me! you'll know why)
Parmesan cheese
Mozarella cheese... LOTS OF IT.
1 small tub/ 200-250g of ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 quarts pyrex dish
Procedure:
In a stock pot, boil water with a dash of salt and some olive oil. I don't usually put oil in my pasta water but this time around it helps so they wont stick together while its waiting to be used.
In another stock pot, or preferably a cast iron pan (which sucks, i dont own one. YET.) bring your pan to a high heat, until smoke comes out of your pan. season with salt around 1-1/2 teaspoons of sea salt and mix thoroughly. then sear /saute your ground beef til golden and quite crispy.
I do this step because I learnt it from making chili con carne. it helps give an extra something to your beef, and I like how the beef's seasoning is intact when you have a bite of it. you can do the normal spaghetti sauce if you want but I assure you this is worth the extra step!
now take the beef out and let some of the oil drip away, add a little olive oil in the same pan you used if necessary (in my case I had to switch because I realised I used a way to shallow pan for cooking the beef d'oh!)
Now i'm pretty sure your water is boiling away so from time to time add your lasagna noodles. and semi-cook them around 3-4 minutes. then take them out and just set them aside for a bit.
Assembling your lasagna.
Always start the bottom of the pan with the red sauce. then add noodles.
Add another layer than add some all purpose cream.
repeat layers till you finish everything.
once you come to the top layer which should be the red sauce and cream, spread your ricotta, then parmesan and mozzarella, or sometimes I use feta!
Bake at 350degF around 20-30 mins or until the cheeses bubble and become a bit brown.
Let it cool down for 30 mins to an hour for it to set then slice and serve.
All photos were quite blurry I know, I forgot to charge my camera and just used my phone again! Paumanhin po! (my apologies)
Hope you guys have a great week ahead and enjoy this recipe!! Let me know if it turns out successful or do you have a great lasagna cheat recipe of your own?
Last weekend we had a post birthday celebration for my sister, and one of the highlights of our food spread was our lasagna. I'm pretty sure its not like how the Italians make it so, my apologies for taking a classic and spinning it off, from watching a lot Jamie Oliver goes to Italy episodes I'm well aware that that is a no-no to the Italians. But nevertheless, this recipe has become one of my favourites! I make a whole pyrex dish of it and I never see a morsel the following day!!
It's a long process if you think of it but it's all worth it I promise!!
So you'll be needing:
 |
| lean ground beef thawed |
3/4 kilo lean ground beef
2 big cloves of garlic
1 white onion
8 -10 pcs. Basil leaves, fresh
around 350-450ml of tomato sauce
1 carton/ 200ml of All purpose cream (can use cooking cream instead)-- i think I can also call this a lasagna hack!
16 lasagna noodles (depending on size some use 12, i just base it on the pack that you buy. usually you would consume one of those packs for one tray of lasagna.)
a beef stock cube or here in the Philippines its called a "beef knorr cube"(chefs, stand your ground dont judge me! you'll know why)
Parmesan cheese
Mozarella cheese... LOTS OF IT.
1 small tub/ 200-250g of ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 quarts pyrex dish
Procedure:
In a stock pot, boil water with a dash of salt and some olive oil. I don't usually put oil in my pasta water but this time around it helps so they wont stick together while its waiting to be used.
In another stock pot, or preferably a cast iron pan (which sucks, i dont own one. YET.) bring your pan to a high heat, until smoke comes out of your pan. season with salt around 1-1/2 teaspoons of sea salt and mix thoroughly. then sear /saute your ground beef til golden and quite crispy.
I do this step because I learnt it from making chili con carne. it helps give an extra something to your beef, and I like how the beef's seasoning is intact when you have a bite of it. you can do the normal spaghetti sauce if you want but I assure you this is worth the extra step!
 |
| crispy and brown. |
now take the beef out and let some of the oil drip away, add a little olive oil in the same pan you used if necessary (in my case I had to switch because I realised I used a way to shallow pan for cooking the beef d'oh!)
Add the garlic and onion and sauté til translucent.
Add the beef again then the tomato sauce.
Add a cup of water and roughly chopped basil leaves.
then the stock cube.
Now, why do I put a stock cube? Honestly, I like the taste of it plus its a cheat, yes a real good cheat to get a good taste out of your sauce and beef. My chefs, mentors would simply not agree on this as we go back to the time where everything was simple and solved by salt and pepper. I do agree you use salt and pepper as much as you can but for this recipe I really love to put a stock cube. It's just flippin amazing! so haters gonna hate, alligators gonna alligate! hahaha!
let it simmer till the water evaporates and let it cool.
Now i'm pretty sure your water is boiling away so from time to time add your lasagna noodles. and semi-cook them around 3-4 minutes. then take them out and just set them aside for a bit.
Assembling your lasagna.
Always start the bottom of the pan with the red sauce. then add noodles.
Add another layer than add some all purpose cream.
repeat layers till you finish everything.
place your ricotta in a bowl and add one egg mix well.
Bake at 350degF around 20-30 mins or until the cheeses bubble and become a bit brown.
Let it cool down for 30 mins to an hour for it to set then slice and serve.
 |
| Delicious! |
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