LASAGNA WITH MINCED MEAT

 
Do you know who first inspired me to make lasagna? Garfield! I watched Garfield since I was a kid and I always wondered what is that tasty rectangle thing he eats with appetite. And I started watching the new episodes again with my kids. So, I first made lasagna about 6 years ago. I ate so much for 3 days in a row that I felt like Garfield :) Lazy, happy and fat :) So, this is my tried recipe and it's great. I admit it takes a little more time to prepare it and some extra dishes, but that's lasagna, there's no easy way to do this. This dish serves 8 people. And I also have to admit that even though this is an Italian food, we Macedonians (as the rest of the world) enjoy Italian food and eat it a lot. I can even say that the number of pizzerias that serve pizza and pasta is almost the same as the number of restaurants all over the country.
 
Ingredients:
  • 500 g lasagna pack
Minced meat:
  • 600 g minced meat
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 500 g of tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 small teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry parsley
  • 1 small teaspoon of salt
  • little black pepper
  • cooking oil
Bechamel sauce:
  • 60 g butter
  • 2 tbs of flour
  • 1 liter of milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • a little black pepper
  • a pinch of minced nutmeg
Other:
  • 500 g grated cheese
Preparation:
  1. Minced meat: Fry the finely chopped onion on a little cooking oil. Leave to fry slightly and add the minced meat. Add spices and fry the meat until it changes color. Then, add the tomato paste, stir and leave to simmer for ten minutes with closed lid. Remove the bay leaf when done.
  2. Bechamel sauce: Melt the butter in a pot and add the flour. Stir well with a wire and leave to fry a bit. Pour the milk carefully and stir constantly, season it and let it boil. Reduce the fire and leave for ten minutes until it thickens. Mix from time to time so that the milk does not burn and the flour doesn't settle at the bottom.
  3. Boil water in a larger pot and gradually put 4-5 pieces of lasagna to soften. Do not put all the lasagne at once, for it will stick.
  4. Preheat the oven to 220 ° C. Coat the casserole with a little oil for cooking. 
  5. Put a row of lasagna layers in the dish, pour bechamel sauce over, put the minced meat, add grated cheese and place another layer of lasagne again. Repeat the procedure four to five times (depending on how much space you have in the baking tray). When you finish the last layer, place the remaining bechamel sauce on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. 
  6. Bake this prepared lasagna in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese changes color. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve it.