Comfort food, make two and freeze one.

Is there anyone who doesn’t like lasagna? It is the ultimate family meal, comfort food and kids love it.  I have made this one with lean turkey mince, gluten free lasagna and goat milk instead of cow milk. This is a dish that you can pack in and hide a lot of vegetables for fussy eaters.

There are many variations of lasagna, this recipe is one that I have made for years and my children had it when they were younger. A simple fresh, crunchy, green salad is all you need to complete this meal.

Cooks note: Any type of lean mince can be used, I prefer the lean turkey mince. This recipe does take a bit of time but its worth it. If you can, make double and freeze, one cold weekend you will be glad you did. When freezing, cover the dish so that it is air tight and freeze for up to 2 months. Label the dish with the date or keep a running sheet on your fridge of the things you have in the freezer and the dates they went in.

You need

Fan forced oven on 180oC

1 oven proof baking dish, mine was 33cm x 22cm

Cooks note: mise en place: a French cooking term for having everything in its place. This helps to keep an organised kitchen and an unflustered cook. Preparing all ingredients first, taking out the equipment you need and reading through a recipe will make cooking relaxing and fun as it should be. Put on some music, try and keep the bench space tidy and there will be less cleaning up at the end.

Ingredients: prepare all ingredients first

Gluten free lasagna sheets, I used 12, 4 for each layer. Your size of dish and brand of lasagna may vary.

Meat sauce

500gms lean turkey mince

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 brown onion peeled and diced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

300 gms mushrooms, stalks removed and sliced

1 x 750 ml jar of Italian tomato sauce. Look for one with no added chemicals and a traditional sauce recipe.

125 gms tomato paste

2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup water

1 carrot grated

1 stalk of celery finely diced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

White sauce

60 gms butter, grass fed if possible or ghee

1 litre goat milk

1/3 cup gluten free cornflour

pinch nutmeg

3/4 cup pecorino/ Romano cheese

Extra cheese to sprinkle on top

Garnish

6 mushrooms, stalks removed

1/2 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter

To make

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium and sauté carrot, celery, onion and garlic.

Add mushrooms and sweat down with the lid on for about 5 minutes.

Add mince and stir until brown.

Place all other meat sauce ingredients into the pan and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook for 45 minutes on simmer.

For the cheese sauce

Melt the butter on medium heat.

Remove saucepan from the stove, stir in the flour and gradually add the milk off the heat.

Return to the heat and stir until sauce comes to the boil and thickens.

Remove from the heat and add 3/4 cup of pecorino/ Romano cheese and nutmeg.

For the garnish

Heat olive oil and butter in a frypan and add mushrooms.

Cover and cook until golden brown on each side

To assemble

Place 4 lasagna sheets on greased baking dish. Spread over half the meat sauce, followed by 1/3 of the cheese sauce.

Follow this by another 4 sheets and repeat the process again, so that all the meat sauce is used up and 1/3 of the cheese sauce remains.

Place on the last layer of lasagna. Spread remaining cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese.

Put mushroom garnish on top and bake for 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Bon appetite

X 70’s girl