Topic: In need of Lasagne Experts

[976bar]

if I'm making it for picky kids I replace the kidney beans with baked beans, reduce the chilli and omit the ketchup

Bloody kids have it too easy these days. If I had picky kids I'd make your chilli, only I'd leave out the:

500g minced beef  (have used minced lamb too and it tastes just as good)
1 large onion, finely diced
5 cloves garlic
1 tin tomatoes (large)
3 fresh tomatoes, cut into 8
2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Then see how picky they are!      ;D

LOL Santa!!! Thats right just give em a plate of Kidney beans and see how they cope with that!  ;D

[JerryM]

Domi,

chilli spec looks good. i'll try the smoked paprika (along with the cinnamon). our's is very similar (no fresh tom and we chuck it all in the pot and straight into the oven). we add 10 secs pour of Lea & Perrins, ~2tbsp tom puree and ~1tsp black pepper. I also like a good slug of tabasco but not essential. we use the chopped dried red chillies for that extra on the heat front in place of powder.

ice cold cider is a must. we also go for a treat with what i'd call soft garlic bread. i love the pizza version too but for chilli an 800g loaf wrapped in foil gives a softness which seems to pull it all together.

[Domi]

ummmm....SecretSatan and 976bar....is this where we get into a pythonesque "Of course, we had it tough" type debate? pmsl

Jerry,  a tablespoon of Jack Daniels smoky chilli barbecue sauce adds a nice flavour too.... I also use it in a bourbon ribs recipe if I can't get chipotle ketchup......

[Secret Santa]

give em a plate of Kidney beans and see how they cope with that!  ;D

Kidney beans!

LUXURY!

[Domi]

Aye...we used to dream of kidney beans 

[Willyeckerslike]

Olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tin italian plum tomatoes (get a good variety not the supermarket ones)
Tomato Puree
1 lamb or beef knorr stock cube in a mug of boiling water (so 1/2 pint)
dried basil
dried Oregano
1 desertspoon sugar
600 or 700 gramms of either lean steak mince or lamb mince
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and Pepper

Gently fry the onion until soft and golden brown
add the garlic and fry for around 2 minutes (don't burn it as it will taste bitter)
add the chopped tomatoes and cook for around 2-3 minutes
Meanwhile brown the mince in another pan then add this to the mixture
add the stock
add tomato puree. I usually use around 50 - 70 gramms
few dashes worcestershire sauce
add the basil and oregano
add the sugar
Salt
Ground black pepper

Now let it simmer for around 30 minutes, so that the mince is cooked thoroughly and the sauce has reduced into a lovely thick tomato consistency. Make sure you turn it every once in a while.

Hi,

  Thanks for starting this thread,  I must have missed it.  Been after a good tomato sauce recipe for ages and this is good, thanks for posting 976bar its easy to do & very tasty.  The wife was well happy ;D

cheers

Will

[commis]

Hi
Try pork mince/sausage in the ratio of 25% as for the use of carrot, I find it best to grate it because after an hour of cooking it starts to take in the other flavours and adds bulk. I will try and get hold of a veg only version from a chef mate, best ever.
Regards

[George]

i make Delia's lasagne a lot. it consists of multiple layers of ragu, white sauce (bechemel) and pasta sheet.

That's how I make it and I love it. The best Lasagne I've ever had was in one  of two places: Spaghetti House in London and some hotel in the middle of nowhere in Africa!

I'd never leave the white sauce out. I know it's all subjective, but I reckon that's a key element and featured in my two favourite restaurant examples.

[JerryM]

George,

my wife makes the delia dish ie with the bechemel and for sure it's real good.

whenever we go to italian (casa in liverpool) they only do the tom sauce & cheese version - different but well worth a try using 976bar's recipe. interesting that the kids prefer the casa version yet we too would stick with the bechemal.

[The Apprentice]

I worked in an Italian Restaurant for a few years , trained with Northern Italians .

They actually boiled a whole piece of beef ( usually topside) in oil , added in garlic , onions ,black pepper ,fresh homemade tomato sauce , herbs etc

After it was cooked , they'd skim the oil and save it .Remove the beef and mince it .

Of course they'd make fresh pasta ....

They would then layer the lasgane , first some tomato sauce , minced beef , cheese , then pasta sheets , and do that for 4 layers. On the top , they's whisk eggs and cheese and tip on top ,half way through the baking process.

For me personally , this lasagne was too dry - but obviously a more traditional Italian lasgne.


I make mine totally different , I also use a bechamel sauce , ( well cheese sauce really ) and I add a layer of bechamel to each layer . Its all to do with the consistency of the sauces too.