For the Meat Sauce
Ingredients Needed
- 12 Boiled Sheets of Lasagna Pasta
- 3 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tbsp of Minced Onions
- 1 Tbsp of Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Minced Pimento Peppers
- ¼ Cup of Chopped Celery
- ½ Cup of Chopped Mushrooms
- ¼ Cup of Shredded Carrots
- 2 Lbs of Minced Beef
- 1 Tbsp of Tomato Paste
- 3 Cups of Bottled Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tsp Fresh Thyme
- 1 Tsp Chadon Beni
- 2 Tbs Fresh Parsley
- 3 Tbsp of Freshly Chopped Basil
- Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
- ¼ Cup of Parmesan Cheese
- ½ Cup Of Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Cup Of Bottled Tomato Sauce
- ¼ Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs
For the Spinach Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients Needed
- 2 Tbsp of Butter
- 2 Tbsp of Flour
- 2 ½ Cups of Milk
- ¾ Cup of Cheddar Cheese
- 2 Cups of Fresh Baby Spinach
- Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
Purple Onion and Honey Roasted Nut Salad
Ingredients Needed
- ¼ Cup of Julienned Purple Onions
- 3 Oz Honey Roasted Peanuts
- 4 Leaves of Local Lettuce ( Chiffonade Chopped )
- 1 Tomato ( Small Diced )
- 1 Oz of Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Oz of Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Methods
For the Meat Sauce
Place a medium sauce pan over high heat. Add the oil followed by the Onions, garlic, pimentos and celery. Sauté for one minute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Then the carrots followed by the minced beef and tomato paste. Sauté for three minutes then add the 3 cups of tomato sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about ten minutes until flavors amalgamate and sauce reduces to half its quantity. Then add the fresh thyme, chadon beni, parsley and basil. Season with salt and black pepper, stir and taste to your liking. Remove pot from stove and set aside to sauce in the chiller to cool.
For the Spinach Béchamel Sauce
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter and swirl pan until melted. Immediately add the flour and with a whisk stir the flour and cook in the melted butter until it turns light blond in color. Add the milk and whisk to work out any lumps of flour and butter. Bring to a light simmer on low heat and when bubbles barely break the Surface of the milk, add the cheese and whisk to allow it to melt. Continue whisking and season with salt and black peeper to taste. Mixture should be thick, slightly cheesy and creamy. Add the chopped spinach at this time, mix in and remove pan from heat and place the sauce in the chiller to cool down.
To Assemble.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a medium baking dish with oil and set aside. On a cutting board, lay out one sheet of boiled lasagna pasta. Place one tablespoon of meat sauce one inch before the edge of the pasta sheet, followed by a tablespoon of spinach béchamel sauce on top. Carefully roll the filling along the sheet of pasta like a Swiss roll ensuring to encapsulate all the filling. Place the roll into the dish and complete until you fill up the dish with rolls. Then drizzle the remaining one cup of tomato sauce on top followed by shredded cheddar and parmesan cheese. Lastly sprinkle the panko bread crumbs and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes or until crispy on top.
For the Salad
In a small mixing bowl, add the balsamic vinegar and whisk in the oil with some salt and black pepper. Gently add your lettuce, purple onions, tomato, and nuts. Toss and serve with the lasagna to the side.
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