Importance Score: 20 / 100 🔵
Mary Berry’s Streamlined Lasagne Recipe: A Quick and Delicious Weeknight Meal
Lasagne, a beloved dish in Britain, is often considered the quintessential weeknight meal. This enduring comfort food, celebrated for its layers of rich, flavorful components in each mouthful, traditionally requires hours to prepare due to its Bolognese and béchamel sauces. However, Mary Berry’s lasagne recipe offers an elegant solution. This approach exemplifies how classic dishes can be elevated using simple, premium ingredients, without demanding excessive preparation time.
An “Express” Take on a Classic Dish
Berry’s rendition of this Italian staple guarantees a flawlessly balanced sauce, delicate pasta, and a golden, bubbling cheese topping. As noted by the BBC website concerning this “express” recipe, “Mary Berry’s wonderfully different take on lasagne is super quick, perfect for a midweek supper.” This recipe empowers both experienced cooks and kitchen novices to effortlessly create a truly memorable meal.
Preparing Your Lasagne: Step-by-Step Instructions
Initial Preparations
Begin by preheating your oven to gas mark six (adjust accordingly based on your oven type). Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with butter to prevent sticking.
Softening the Lasagne Sheets
While the oven preheats, soften the dried lasagne sheets. Immerse them in freshly boiled warm water. This process will make them pliable as you prepare the sauces.
Crafting the Spinach and Pork Sauce
This recipe features two distinct sauces, the first being a savory combination of pork and spinach.
Cooking the Pork Base
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the pork sausage meat and brown for approximately five to ten minutes, ensuring it cooks through.
Incorporating Aromatics and Vegetables
Using two wooden spoons, break up the sausage mince into smaller pieces. Introduce the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
Adding Flavor and Creaminess
Incorporate the garlic, chilli, and chestnut mushrooms into the pan. Sauté for around five minutes until the mushrooms soften. Stir in the crème fraîche and baby spinach.
Simmering and Seasoning
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and allow it to simmer for a couple of minutes until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set the spinach and pork sauce aside.
Creating the Tomato Sauce
Next, prepare the tomato sauce. In a jug or bowl, combine all tomato sauce ingredients. Season generously with salt and pepper to enhance the flavors.
Assembling the Lasagne Layers
Draining the Pasta
Drain the softened lasagne sheets, ensuring excess water is removed.
Layering the Sauces and Pasta
Spoon one-third of the spinach sauce evenly onto the base of the prepared dish. Follow this with one-third of the tomato sauce, spreading it over the spinach sauce layer. Arrange half of the lasagne sheets over the tomato sauce, creating a pasta layer. Repeat this layering process with the remaining sauces and pasta.
Final Baking and Serving
Adding Cheese and Baking
Sprinkle the grated mature Cheddar cheese generously over the final pasta layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden brown, and bubbling, and the lasagne is heated through.
Serving Suggestion
Upon removal from the oven, allow the lasagne to rest for a few minutes before serving. This delectable lasagne is ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner or for sharing with friends and family on any occasion.
Essential Ingredients List
- Butter
- 6 large dried lasagne sheets
- 75g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp oil
- 450g pork sausage meat
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 200ml full-fat crème fraîche
- 100g baby spinach leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 500g passata
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
- 1 tsp light muscovado sugar
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage