Colombian Lasagna
Ground beef cooked down with blended onion, bell pepper, garlic and tomato paste, layered with pre-cooked pasta, bechamel and mozzarella. Three layers, half an hour in the oven, six servings.
Servings: 6
Calories: 737kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef 900 g
- 2 onions one for the sauce, one for the bechamel
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves
- Oregano, thyme and bay leaves
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese sliced
- 1 box of pre-cooked lasagna pasta about 9 oz, enough for four layers
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated, for the top
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons wheat flour for the bechamel
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Blend one onion, the bell pepper, the garlic and the tomato paste.
- Season the ground beef and brown it in a hot skillet with oil.
- Once browned, add the blended mixture along with a couple of bay leaves, a pinch of thyme and oregano.
- When it starts to boil, lower to medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Set aside.
- Separately, make the bechamel. Boil the milk with ½ cup of water or chicken broth, the other onion, the butter, salt and pepper. When it boils, dissolve the flour in a little cold milk or water and pour it in, stirring continuously so it does not go lumpy. Keep stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- To assemble, spread a little of the meat sauce over the base of an ovenproof dish. Lay down a sheet of pasta, then more meat sauce, some bechamel and slices of mozzarella. Add another layer of pasta and repeat until you have three layers.
- Finish with a sheet of pasta and cover it generously with bechamel. Scatter the parmesan on top and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
The bechamel has to coat the back of a spoon before it goes anywhere near the dish. A thin one runs to the bottom during baking and leaves the top layer of pasta dry and hard.
Pre-cooked lasagna sheets need liquid around them to finish softening, so do not drain the meat sauce and do not skimp on the bechamel between layers. Letting the dish stand ten minutes out of the oven makes it possible to cut a square that holds together.
Nutrition
Calories: 737kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 1201mg | Potassium: 960mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2312IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 592mg | Iron: 4mg