For pics of this recipe go to my instagram -- sharonthechef
Here is the best bolognese/ Lasagna you'll ever have.
Yup....I dated an italian fellow for a bit...and yes, I learned some of the BEST recipes from being with him. I guess there are positives in everything right?
This is the most amazing lasagna recipe I have ever made and enjoyed. It might seem a bit unusual but trust me.... it is great and worth the effort
This is a two step process and for all fair reasons, you can stop at the sauce and simply enjoy with pasta. This is the base for anything and everything that you could want when it comes to enjoying pasta...trust me. If you want to go the extra step it is worth the extra effort or.... if you have left over sauce (which is hard to imagine) Lasagna is the BEST thing to do with it.
For the Sauce:
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk of celery roughly chopped
-1 medium carrot roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic (pealed and roughly chopped)
- appox 3 strips of bacon diced
- approx 1/2lb of ground beef
- 1-2 bay leaf(dpending on size - if using fresh use 2 If using dried use 2)
- 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes...use your judgement
-1 cup dry red wine *optional*
- salt and pepper
- a dash of milk (yes you heard me)
- salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
Put the first 4 ingredients (carrot, onion, celery, garlic) in a small food processor and blend until a puree. You don't want a paste but all the veg needs to be blended well. Set aside.
Brown the ground beef in a high sided sauce pot (you will be adding additional ingredients so you will need a pot vs a fry pan!). Once browned....remove to a bowl or side plate with slotted spoon or spider (circular asian draining tool used for noodles and other such things). .
Drain beef fat from pot/pan into a small vessel to dispsose of later once cooled. (put in a small ramekan and put in fridge. Scrape into compost bag when congealed and ready for disposal).
Add bacon to the pot/pan. No fat or oil required. Do NOT brown or crisp. Cook through but continure stirring so that it does not brown or crisp.
Add garlic - stif for 2-3 min on medium heat but do not burn. You want the garlic to start to cook but you don't want it to burn. That would cause a bitter flavour to the sauce - big no, no.
Add veg puree that you had preveously set aside and cook/stir to evaporate natural moisture/water. This should only take a few minutes
Add red wine and let combine...... This is optional of course but oh the sweet smell of wine cooking... you will love it! Let it heat but don't let it fully evaporate and burn.
Add beef/bacon mixture back to pot and combine.
*this is the time that you want to add any chillis or 'heat' to you sauce.... if you want to keep it mellow (especially if wanting to continue to the Lasagna Recipe you might not want the heat). If you like it spicey....then do as you please.
Add approx 1 can (796ml or 26oz) of diced tomatoes. Heat through on med/high heat a few minutes until you see it start to bubble again. Depending on the meat/veg mix you have you should see that the tomatoes take dominance. If the they don't, consider adding 1/2 can to even out or as you see fit. Some people like a really meat focused sauce, some like a tomatoe focused sauce.....it's up to you.
Simmer on low/med heat for approx 30min.
Where's the milk and lemon? Why was this in my picture on Instagram and part of the ingredients you need? This is what makes it the BEST! Trust me!
As the sauce is simmering and just before finishing aka ready to serve (approx 10min) add a splash of milk (it doesn't matter what kind) and some lemon zest. Let it simmer and combine for a few moments. The milk won't curdle....trust me! It will add a richness to the sauce that you've never tasted before. The lemon zest.....it will brighten the sauce with a slight punch that you'll appreciate in a way that you never knew was possible. It truly makes all the difference. * Do not miss this step!
Simmer on low heat until pasta is ready (or you are ready)....... serve on hot pasta (preferably pasta dropped directly into the sausce al dente....) and enjoy. Sprinkle some fresh parsley for flavour and colour! Yum!
Want to make Lasagna.....
Stay tuned........
Here is the best bolognese/ Lasagna you'll ever have.
Yup....I dated an italian fellow for a bit...and yes, I learned some of the BEST recipes from being with him. I guess there are positives in everything right?
This is the most amazing lasagna recipe I have ever made and enjoyed. It might seem a bit unusual but trust me.... it is great and worth the effort
This is a two step process and for all fair reasons, you can stop at the sauce and simply enjoy with pasta. This is the base for anything and everything that you could want when it comes to enjoying pasta...trust me. If you want to go the extra step it is worth the extra effort or.... if you have left over sauce (which is hard to imagine) Lasagna is the BEST thing to do with it.
For the Sauce:
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk of celery roughly chopped
-1 medium carrot roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic (pealed and roughly chopped)
- appox 3 strips of bacon diced
- approx 1/2lb of ground beef
- 1-2 bay leaf(dpending on size - if using fresh use 2 If using dried use 2)
- 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes...use your judgement
-1 cup dry red wine *optional*
- salt and pepper
- a dash of milk (yes you heard me)
- salt and pepper to taste
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| Ingredients |
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| Tools you will need |
METHOD:
Put the first 4 ingredients (carrot, onion, celery, garlic) in a small food processor and blend until a puree. You don't want a paste but all the veg needs to be blended well. Set aside.
Brown the ground beef in a high sided sauce pot (you will be adding additional ingredients so you will need a pot vs a fry pan!). Once browned....remove to a bowl or side plate with slotted spoon or spider (circular asian draining tool used for noodles and other such things). .
Drain beef fat from pot/pan into a small vessel to dispsose of later once cooled. (put in a small ramekan and put in fridge. Scrape into compost bag when congealed and ready for disposal).
Add bacon to the pot/pan. No fat or oil required. Do NOT brown or crisp. Cook through but continure stirring so that it does not brown or crisp.
Add garlic - stif for 2-3 min on medium heat but do not burn. You want the garlic to start to cook but you don't want it to burn. That would cause a bitter flavour to the sauce - big no, no.
Add veg puree that you had preveously set aside and cook/stir to evaporate natural moisture/water. This should only take a few minutes
Add red wine and let combine...... This is optional of course but oh the sweet smell of wine cooking... you will love it! Let it heat but don't let it fully evaporate and burn.
Add beef/bacon mixture back to pot and combine.
*this is the time that you want to add any chillis or 'heat' to you sauce.... if you want to keep it mellow (especially if wanting to continue to the Lasagna Recipe you might not want the heat). If you like it spicey....then do as you please.
Add approx 1 can (796ml or 26oz) of diced tomatoes. Heat through on med/high heat a few minutes until you see it start to bubble again. Depending on the meat/veg mix you have you should see that the tomatoes take dominance. If the they don't, consider adding 1/2 can to even out or as you see fit. Some people like a really meat focused sauce, some like a tomatoe focused sauce.....it's up to you.
Simmer on low/med heat for approx 30min.
Where's the milk and lemon? Why was this in my picture on Instagram and part of the ingredients you need? This is what makes it the BEST! Trust me!
As the sauce is simmering and just before finishing aka ready to serve (approx 10min) add a splash of milk (it doesn't matter what kind) and some lemon zest. Let it simmer and combine for a few moments. The milk won't curdle....trust me! It will add a richness to the sauce that you've never tasted before. The lemon zest.....it will brighten the sauce with a slight punch that you'll appreciate in a way that you never knew was possible. It truly makes all the difference. * Do not miss this step!
Simmer on low heat until pasta is ready (or you are ready)....... serve on hot pasta (preferably pasta dropped directly into the sausce al dente....) and enjoy. Sprinkle some fresh parsley for flavour and colour! Yum!
Want to make Lasagna.....
Stay tuned........
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| Sauce complete! |
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