Everyone has a ‘go to’ dish when entertaining. The one dish that never lets you down. The one dish you can make with your eyes closed. Mine is mouthwatering gluten free lasagna. This dish holds many special memories because I would always prepare lasagne when I first started hosting dinner parties at my own house. The combination of a wonderfully rich bolognese sauce layered with pasta and a creamy béchamel is always a winner.
There are many lasagne recipes out there but these are my tips and tricks to take your lasagne to the next level. These are the tips that will take your lasagna from average to a-mazing!
- Add diced pancetta to the bolognese for a richer, more intensely flavoured sauce.
- Season your bolognese sauce with sea salt flakes before you start simmering the sauce. Adding salt at the correct stage of the cooking process draws out flavour from ingredients so ensure you add salt early.
- Throw in a handful of freshly chopped basil to the bolognese when ready to freshen the sauce and add fragrant notes.
- Elevate your béchamel sauce with a pinch of aromatic cinnamon, it pairs beautifully with creamy cheesy béchamel.
- If you have a pressure cooker, use it. If you don’t, buy one! It will cut your cooking time by 70%. The bolognese sauce needs to simmer in a pot for one hour but in a pressure cooker you can knock it out in 15 minutes. I own the Fissler brand and I love it because it has a traffic light system on the lid so you don’t burn your food.
- If you have time make your bolognese sauce the day prior and let it sit in the fridge overnight to intensify the flavours. You can even prep the whole dish the day prior for a dinner party.
Finally, remember to invite me over when you make lasagne on a cold rainy day. Love my winter comfort food!
Beef Lasagna Gluten Free
Serves: Serves 6-8.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 celery stick, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 150g pancetta, finely diced
- 500g organic beef mince
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 x 400g tin crushed tomato
- 125ml (1/2 cup) red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Cinnamon quill
- pinch of grated nutmeg
- sea salt flakes and cracked pepper
- handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
- 200g gluten free lasagne sheets
- Bechamel
- 100g butter
- 100g gluten free plain flour
- 800 ml full cream milk
- 100g parmigiana reggiano, grated (plus extra for layers)
- 1 beaten egg
- pinch of cinnamon and sea salt flakes
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Heat a large saucepan over low - medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and pancetta and sauté for another minute.
- Add mince and brown for a few minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add tomato paste and stir for another minute.
- Add the crushed tomato, wine, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until your sauce is thick and rich. Once cooked adjust seasoning if necessary and stir in fresh basil. Set aside.
- For the béchamel, melt butter over low heat in a saucepan and stir in flour until a smooth paste is formed. Cook off the flour for 30 seconds before slowly pour in the milk stirring simultaneously for a thick sauce. Add cheeses and stir to combine. Remove from heat and whisk in beaten egg and a pinch of cinnamon. Season to taste.
- To assemble the lasagna grease a rectangular baking tray with olive oil. Place a thin layer of bolognese on the base. Place lasagna sheets in a single layer on the sauce, top with bolognese and a layer of béchamel. Grate over extra cheese. Repeat process.
- Bake in a 180C (fan forced) oven for 45 minutes or until golden.
Thermomix Method
- Chop onion, carrot and celery in mixing bowl 7 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides of
bowl . - Add oil, garlic and pancetta and sauté for 5 minutes/Varoma/speed 1.
- Add mince (break it up first so it doesn't clump) and cook 10 min/100C/reverse mode/speed 1.
- Add crushed tomato, tomato paste, red wine, oregano, cinnamon quill, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cook 15-20min/100C/reverse mode/speed 1. Once cooked adjust seasoning if necessary and add fresh basil.
- For the béchamel, add all ingredients to mixing bowl and cook 9 min/90C/speed 4, or until desired thickness is achieved.
- To assemble the lasagna grease a rectangular baking tray with olive oil. Place a thin layer of bolognese on the base. Place lasagna sheets in a single layer on the sauce, top with bolognese and a layer of béchamel. Grate over extra cheese. Repeat process.
- Bake in a 180C (fan forced) oven for 45 minutes or until golden.
Can’t wait to make and try
Hi Gina,
Enjoy!!
xx
It’s funny I was thinking today what the best GF lasagne sheets would be do – what’s your favourite?
Hi Linda,
I either make my own with this recipe or if I don’t have time I buy the San Remo sheets from the supermarket.
Looks delicious. I will be making it tomorrow
Enjoy Katerina!
Thank you, my whole family loved it, especially my 5 year old Coeliac – who had extra helpings! Will try prepping the day before next time – great idea. I also wanted to do your cooking class this weekend, but I see it is sold out – hopefully you are going to do another?
Hi Deb,
So glad the family loved the gluten free lasagne recipe. I will be doing another cooking class at Essential Ingredient Rozelle in October so perhaps give them a call and book your spot now so you don’t miss out. Cheers.
How about a class in Noosa?
Maybe one day.
This will upset a few but if ytiou look it up you will see that it is true. laasgane was invented in a small Hellenic (Greek) community south of parga. On the west coast. named Lasagna