Most foods are best enjoyed fresh, but lasagna plays by its own rules. Many swear it tastes even better the next day. But why take anyone’s word for it when you can test that theory yourself?
Clare Karatu, self-taught home cook and host of NTV’s Pishi Bomba, shares a quick and easy lasagna recipe guaranteed to trigger that little happy dance we all do when food hits exactly the right spot.
Lasagna sheets (pre-boiled in salted water for about five minutes)
Cooking oil
1 large white onion, chopped
600g minced meat
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
3 tomatoes, crushed
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp oregano
Salt to taste
Fresh basil
¼ cup salted butter
3 tbsp flour
400g mozzarella cheese, grated
250g cheddar cheese, grated
500ml milk
1 tbsp sugar
Pour oil into a hot pan and add the chopped onions. Do not brown them; you want them soft and translucent.
As the onions cook, add the raw minced meat. Ms Karatu advises against boiling the meat beforehand.
“Minced meat is already ground, so you do not need to worry about softness. You still want that chew in the texture. If you boil it, you lose a lot of flavour,” she explains.
Adding the meat at this stage does not interfere with the onions softening. Instead, they continue cooking together, ensuring the onions do not retain the crunch of being undercooked.
As she folds the meat into the onions, Chef Karatu seasons the mixture with salt and black pepper.
“You want every layer to have seasoning, so season from the beginning to avoid bland minced meat,” she advises.
Once the meat is cooked through, she parts the mixture to one side of the pan, leaving a small well bubbling with oil and juices. Into this, she adds the garlic and ginger mixture.
“Ginger is optional. Italians typically do not add it to this recipe, but I like the depth of flavour it gives the meat,” she says.
Don't let it brown
Using gentle circular motions, she stirs the garlic mixture into the meat without letting it brown.
“You only want to cook it long enough to release the aroma,” she says. “Then add the oregano and mix well.”
Next come the crushed tomatoes, followed by another pinch of salt, black pepper and the remaining oregano.
“At this point, I add a tablespoon of sugar to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes,” she says. “You can also use pureed carrots for natural sweetness.”
After stirring, she covers the pan, lowers the heat and allows the sauce to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. The basil is added a few minutes before switching off the heat.
While the meat sauce simmers, Chef Karatu prepares the roux — the butter, flour and milk mixture that forms the base of the creamy white sauce layered through the lasagna.
“The first thing to do is melt the butter,” she says. “You want a generous amount, so do not be shy with it.”
Once melted, she adds the flour.
“The amount of flour depends on how thick you want the sauce. More flour gives you a thicker sauce; less flour keeps it lighter while still creamy,” she explains.
The flour magic touch
Cooking the flour in the butter helps eliminate the raw flour taste.
“Some people brown it, but I prefer to cook it lightly before slowly adding the milk,” she says.
Using a whisk, she continuously stirs as she pours in the milk. With each movement, the sauce thickens.
“Add more milk until you achieve your preferred consistency,” she says. “I like mine slightly runny because it thickens further in the oven and firms up even more when refrigerated.”
She seasons the cream sauce with salt and black pepper before adding half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheese, stirring until fully melted.
Chef Karatu then spreads a generous layer of minced meat sauce onto a rectangular glass dish before covering it with lasagna sheets. Over the sheets goes a thick layer of cream sauce, followed by a sprinkling of grated cheese. She repeats the process until the dish is fully layered.
The assembled lasagna is then baked until the cheese turns golden brown.
“You can serve it hot, or refrigerate or freeze it and warm it later,” she says.
