Lasagne

This lasagne is not strictly Italian. This is my own version of the meaty goodness that everyone knows, and I can assure you, the entire tray will be devoured within minutes of it being placed on the table. Enjoy. 

Ingredients

Meat sauce

• 4 tbsp butter
• 5 large onions
• 5 tbsp crushed garlic
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1kg minced beef
• 1 tbsp paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 heaped tsp chilli flakes
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp chilli powder

Cheese sauce

• 1 ltr milk
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp butter
• 250g cheddar cheese, grated

 

• Lasagne sheets
• 750g mozzarella

 

On medium flame, melt the butter in a large pan. Add onions, sauté until soft, and add the garlic.
After roughly two minutes, mix in the brown sugar. Add the beef mince, and cook uncovered until brown, making sure to break any big lumps of meat. Once browned, stir in the spices (paprika, oregano, chilli flakes), the stock cubes, and add the tomatoes.

Rinse the cans with a little water, and add the liquid to the pot (half can of water each). 

Cook on high, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by half, and add the milk. Season with salt and pepper according to taste, add the chilli powder and basil, and simmer on low flame, covered, for 5 minutes.

In another pot, melt the butter on low flame. Once melted, add the flour, garlic powder and salt, and whisk vigorously.

Pour the milk in a steady stream, whisking continuously. Cook until slightly thickened, and add the cheese. Turn off the heat, and stir the sauce until the cheese has completely melted.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Ladle a little of both the sauces onto a 8x12inch baking dish, and place the lasagne sheets evenly on top.

Repeat this step, sprinkling mozzarella cheese on the next layers. Top the last layer with all the remaining cheese, and bake for 35 minutes or until browned on top.
Once out of the oven, let cool for 15 minutes before serving. 

Note:

• If the top of the lasagne browns but isn’t completely cooked yet, cover with foil and resume baking.
• The cheese I used in the sauce was not very salty, which is why a half teaspoon of salt is added. If the cheese you use is salty, then add the salt at the end, according to taste.