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Did you watch our “What’s the Dish” episode? Try Eden Hagos’ East African Lasagna!
Ingredients
Meat Sauce (Sugo)
- 2 cups Onion, minced
- 2 Carrots, minced
- 1 Can tomato paste (5oz.)
- 1 Can crushed tomato (28oz.)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp Berbere spice
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 500 g Ground beef
- 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups Water (adjust accordingly)
- Salt, to taste
Bechamel Sauce
- 1 stick Unsalted butter
- ½ cup All-purpose flour
- 4 cups Milk
- 1 tsp Ground nutmeg
- Salt, to taste
For the Lasagna
- 1 Box lasagna noodles
- Thick-cut Italian blend cheese
Directions
For the Meat Sauce
- Saute onions and carrots in about a tablespoon of oil.
- Once the onions and carrots have begun to soften and cook down, add the Berbere spice and stir to combine.Add extra oil as necessary and mix well.
- Next add in garlic, stir until fragrant and then add ground beef and break up any chunks so that there is an even consistency.
- Next, add tomato paste and stir to evenly incorporate, after a few minutes of cooking, add the crushed tomatoes.Add water as necessary so the mixture starts to resemble a sauce.
- Continue stirring the mixture for 5 more minutes and add then Italian seasoning, oregano, and salt to taste.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for another 30 minutes.
Bechamel Sauce
- Slice the butter into cubes and melt it in a saucepan.
- Add flour to the melted butter and whisk it vigorously and continuously until evenly combined.
- After a minute or two, pour in the milk slowly, while you stir/whisk the mixture so it thickens.
- Once there are no lumps, add in the freshly grated nutmeg.Bring the sauce to a simmer until it’s thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
For the Lasagna
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Cook the lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes and then drain them and set aside until you’re ready to assemble the lasagna.
- Layer meat sauce, noodles, bechamel, and shredded cheese in a baking dish until the dish is full.
- Be generous with the cheese for a decadent lasagna.
- Bake it for 30-40 minutes, uncovered in the oven.
- Once it’s removed from the oven, garnish it with parsley or basil for a pop of colour and flavour.
- Allow it to cool slightly before slicing and digging in.
Enjoy!
