Lean Lasagne

This low fat lasagne recipe is unbelievably delicious; and doubly so when you find out that it doesn't contain any butter or cheese. The bechamel sauce is truly creamy, the topping truly crunchy, and the lean beef bolognese is perfect... a great way to feed lots of people, and surprisingly easy to cook.

Ingredients

  • 300g lean best quality Beef
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 2 or 2 Carrots
  • 5 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Tin Tomatoes
  • Squeeze Tomato Puree
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Oregano
  • Glass White Wine
  • Olive Oil
  • Beef Stock cube (OXO?!)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Lasagne Sheets (dried)

For the White Sauce

  • 1.5 tbsp Plain Flour
  • 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Pint Semi Skimmed Milk (you might not need it all)
  • Mustard
  • Worcester Sauce
  • Garlicky Breadcrumbs and/or White Roll

FIRST, chop and gently fry an Onion in pan with some room (oh, and a little Olive Oil)

Chop the Carrots into very small cubes and add these to the pan

Cook the Onion and Carrots for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat, softening them and letting them brown a tiny bit around the edges – add a sprinkle of Salt

When they are very soft – add the Beef Mince (get your Butcher to make sure he is using best quality, very lean Beef.  You’d be better to use less but more expensive meat, and add extra Onions and Carrots!)

Brown the Beef all over – stirring over a medium heat

When nearly brown, add the Garlic (crushed or chopped) and stir as it cooks a little too

After a couple of minutes, add a glass of White Wine and let the alcohol cook off slightly

Add a squeeze of Tomato Puree, a big dash of Worcestershire Sauce, a sprinkle of Oxo cube (definitely nowhere near the whole thing) and a can of Tomatoes… Stir and add another can of Water and lots of Black Pepper

Bring to the boil and cook for an hour or so, maybe longer maybe less… definitely until it is quite thick, the sauce is delicious and the beef is tender

MEANWHILE get your White Sauce going…

In a saucepan, heat 1.5 tbsp of Olive Oil with 1.5 tbsp of Plain Flour – whisking all the time over a low ish heat

When the Flour and Oil start to mix, they’re going to come together and need whisking for a couple of minutes for the Flour taste to cook off – definitely do not let it burn at this stage

After a minute or two, add a large dash of Semi Skimmed Milk and keep stirring

You’ll see the dash of Milk immediately thicken with the mixture – and it will go back to looking quite similar to how it did beforehand! Keep adding a dash of milk and then whisking / stirring… the sauce will start to look more liquid – but don’t add too much milk – you want a sauce that is quite thick.  Each time you add milk, bring it to the boil

Add a very large teaspoon of English Mustard, another of Dijon (maybe two?!), a dash of Worcestershire and some Salt & Pepper

When your sauce is the right constency – keep stirring for a few more minutes to make sure it doesn’t taste at all flour-ey

You can leave the Sauce now until you need it – and it doesn’t at all matter that cold it will be thicker – it will do its thing when you cook it!!

NOW you’re ready to layer!  Quickly whizz the White Roll up with a clove of Garlic in the food processor to make garlic breadcrumbs

Using a dish that is deep enough for two layers – start with half the Mince.  Cover this with a single layer of Lasagne (right the way up to the edges – use small pieces to fill in all the gaps!), and then top with just less than half the White Sauce.

Repeat so you have another layer of Mince, Lasagne and this time the remainder of the White Sauce.  Top this with a good grind of Black Pepper and your Garlic Breadcrumbs… You could add a couple of sliced or halved tomatoes to the top too – don’t use too many so you don’t miss out on the garlicky crust!

Put in a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes (up to an hour) – with foil on for the first half an hour and without for the final 15 minutes

To serve, slice squares out, being careful to go round the edge with a knife first so that each piece comes out of the dish easily!

Enjoy with some sliced tomatoes or some green salad. [This would serve 4]

 

Tagged , , ,