Prep: 1 hour Cook: 35 mins Serves 4 Low Fat Excellent source of iron Low Sodium
Ingredients
Beef
- 500g Quality Mark beef mince
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stick celery, strings removed with a vegetable peeler and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef stock
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Vegetables
- 300-350g fresh spinach, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 250-300g button mushrooms, wiped clean and thickly sliced
- 400g can chopped tomatoes in juice
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch sugar
- 250g good quality ricotta cheese
- 250g traditional sour cream
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus ¼ cup for sprinkling
- 3 large sheets instant dried lasagne pasta
Beef
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until beginning to colour. Add the tomato paste, stock and oregano and season. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat and cook gently for 40-45 minutes until the liquid has reduced. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a medium-sized ovenproof dish.
Vegetables
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add washed, undrained spinach, in batches. Cook for 1-1½ minutes until the spinach has wilted. Place in a sieve to drain further and set aside.
Add the oil to the pan with the onions and cook over low heat until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf , a pinch of sugar and season. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick. Remove bay leaf.
Place the ricotta cheese, sour cream and egg in a bowl and mix well. Stir through the first measure of Parmesan. Spoon a few tablespoons of meat sauce into the dish, then half the ricotta mixture. Top with lasagne to cover. Spoon over half of the mushroom mixture, then half the wilted spinach, then half of the meat sauce. Repeat the lasagne, mushroom, spinach and meat sauce layers. Top with lasagne finishing with the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes until hot and golden.