Tasty Lasagne recipe

Pasta is traditionally the staple food of Italy but is equally popular the world over. The word pasta means ‘dough’ or ‘paste’ and is traditionally made from hard wheat.

Good pasta is made from hard durum wheat. The starch is extracted and produces fine, gritty particles or semolina flour. When this flour is mixed with water it forms strong, resilient pasta which can be dried easily and has a very long shelf-life.

 Pasta should be cooked until it is firm to bite, not soft or mushy. Adding a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the cooking water will prevent pasta from sticking together when it is drained, and makes it more palatable.

Pasta is very high in carbohydrates and low in fat and contains some protein, calcium, potassium and phosphorous. Pasta made with enriched flour has thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and iron. Whole-wheat pasta, egg and colored pasta are slightly more nutritious than regular pasta.

For this recipe, lasagna will be used. Lasagna is the broadest of the ribbon pastas and comes as whole-wheat and plain, or with egg or spinach. 

Here is the tasty and easy to make one-dish meal for six to eight servings. 

Ingredients

·         350 g lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat

·         125 ml (½ tsp.) salt

·         125 ml (½ cup) chopped walnuts

·         250 g (1 cup) fresh spinach

·         750 ml (3 cups) tomato sauce

·         Freshly ground black pepper to taste

·         250 g (1 cup) chunky cottage cheese

·         60 ml (¼ cup) grated Parmesan cheese

·         12 thin slices mozzarella or any Swiss cheese

Preparation

1. Cook the lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until tender but still somewhat firm – remember the teaspoon oil! Drain.

2. Preheat the oven to 180⁰c (356⁰F)

3. Toast nuts on a baking tray in the oven – stir a few times – for 10 minutes or until roasted

4. Wash and dry spinach and chop into bite-size pieces

5. Spread 190 ml (¾ cup) of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 20 x 20 cm oven-proof casserole dish. Place one-third of the noodles on top and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover with one-third of the spinach, one-quarter of the nuts, one-quarter of the cottage cheese, 12.5 ml (1 tbsp.) Parmesan cheese and a layer of mozzarella slices. Repeat these layers twice, and then spread the remaining sauce, nuts and cheeses on top.

6. Bake for 40 minutes and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

6-8 Servings

Serve with a fresh mixed salad and ciabatta bread.

Enjoy,

Engela

Make your own bagels

The origin of the bagel is unclear, but one source claims that this circular Jewish bun was first mentioned in 1610, when it was given to women in childbirth as a gift signifying eternal life.

INGREDIENTS

·         60 ml (¼cup sunflower oil

·         30 ml sugar

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         250 ml (1 cup) warm water

·         7 ml dried yeast

·         1 egg, beaten

·         450 g flour

METHOD

Mix the oil, sugar, salt and water. Stir in the yeast and leave for about ten minutes until the mixture becomes frothy. Beat in the egg. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Turn onto a floured board and knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth. Cover and leave to size for about two hours until doubled in size.  

Punch down, and then knead until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into about 12 portions. Roll each into a sausage shape and form into a ring, moistening the ends before pinching together to join.

Cover and leave in a warm place for about ten minutes to rise. Preheat the oven to 200⁰C. Drop the bagels into a pot of rapidly boiling water, one at a time, and cook for a few minutes until they rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes until crisp.

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How to make home-made rolls

What you need

·         750 g white bread flour

·         2 teaspoons salt

·         25g butter

·         15 ml dried sugar

·         450 ml lukewarm water

·         Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter.

Mix the yeast, sugar and 45ml (3taablespoons) of the water and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes (the mixture will become frothy). Add this to the flour with the rest of the water and mix well. Knead for 5-10 minutes to make stiff, springy dough.

Shape into a ball, place in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean, dampened tea towel and leave in a warm place for about two hours.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead again until it is smooth. Divide the dough into pieces weighing about 50g each and roll each portion between the palms of your hands until it forms a smooth, round ball. Place the rolls on a warmed, greased baking sheet and leave to double in size. Bake at 220⁰C for 15-20 minutes.

Bridge rolls; Divide the White bread dough into portions weighing about 25-40g each and roll each piece into a sausage shape with tapered ends. Place on a warmed, greased baking sheet and leave to double in size. Bake at 220⁰C for about 15 minutes. 

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