Nonna may not approve of our twist on a classic but this hearty lasagne with Spanish chorizo is sure to become a menu favourite. We promise.
8
Serves
30m
Prep
30m
Cook
Ingredients
For the chorizo sauce
80ml Alfina’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (59060)
8 (approx 1.2kg) Primo Spanish Origin Chorizo (86478), removed from casing and crumbled or finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
4 cups of tomato polpa
1 cup low salt beef stock
1 cup water
Salt and pepper
80g butter
80g plain flour
800ml warm milk
40g Perfect Italiano Shaved Parmesan Cheese (15975), crumbled
Generous grate fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Salt and pepper
For the cheese
60g Perfect Italiano
Shaved Parmesan Cheese (15975)300g mozzarella, grated
600g fresh full cream ricotta
To assemble
600-800g San Remo
Large Instant Pasta Lasagne Sheets No. 100 (6723), (adjust according to how
many layers you want)1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
1. For the chorizo sauce
Heat a large frypan over a medium heat, add the olive oil and chorizo, sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano, sauté for a further minute or two, until the garlic is soft and the chorizo golden. Stir in the polpa, beef stock and water, simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly. Season to taste.
2. For the béchamel
Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, sprinkle in the flour using a sieve, whisk to form a smooth paste. Cook until the mixture is a light golden colour – about a minute. Remove from the heat and cool for a minute. Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking vigorously (to prevent lumps forming). Return to a low heat and cook for about 10 minutes, add the parmesan and stir constantly, until the parmesan has melted and sauce coats the back of a spoon. If you prefer a thinner béchamel more milk can be added. Stir in the nutmeg and ground cloves and season to taste.
3. For the cheese
In a bowl, mix the shaved parmesan, ricotta and half the mozzarella.
4. To assemble (you will need 8 x 500/600ml ovenproof dishes)
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
You can play with layers here, less ingredients used between the lasagne sheets allows for a more layered lasagne. Ensure that each layer has enough liquid so as not to dry out.
Drizzle a spoon of chorizo sauce and the béchamel into the base of each dish. Top with a lasagne sheet (these may require trimming according to the shape of your chosen dish). Spoon some of the chorizo mixture over the lasagne, dollop over small spoons of the ricotta mix and a drizzle of béchamel and a small sprinkle of mozzarella (you don’t need to be heavy handed with the cheese, make sure you have some left for the top), cover with another sheet of lasagne and repeat until each lasagne is complete, finishing with sauce, a final sprinkle of mozzarella and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Place onto a large baking sheet and cover with baking paper (and foil or another baking tray over the top). Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the lasagne sheets are soft and the cheese is bubbling. Uncover and return to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.
