Hellimli Lasagne


 AD | Let’s make Hellimli Lasagne with @AEG.uk. Now that the colder months are upon us, all I want to do is get comfortable in the kitchen and make deliciously cosy, oozy comfort food, and this recipe ticks all the boxes. Make extra ragù to freeze (to save on time and energy consumption) and then reap the benefits of all your delicious efforts. 

Method on my Instagram page (using my trusty AEG appliances, which I LOVE) 🤩 #ChallengeTheExpected #AEG #melizcooks 


For the Ragù (this recipe makes a double batch of ragù so you will only need half of it for the lasagne, so freeze the other half to save on time and energy usage)


60 ml (4tbsp) olive oil

4 carrots peeled and very finely chopped 

2-3 sticks celery, very finely chopped 

2 large red onions, peeled, very finely chopped 

300g chestnut mushrooms, very finely chopped 

6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Leaves from a few sprigs of thyme 

1kg beef mince

200ml red wine 

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses 

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1 x 400g can finely chopped tomatoes 

1 x 690g jar passata

400ml boiling water blended with 1 x beef stock cube (if you have freshly made stock in the fridge / freezer, use that for extra flavour which is what I do) 

100ml milk

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper 


Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion, and soften on a medium heat for 10-12 mins before adding the carrot and celery and softening for 12-15 minutes more. Add the mushrooms and garlic, soften, then add the oregano, thyme and cinnamon, stir, add the mince and brown for 10 mins or so on a med-high heat. Add the red wine, and cook for a few mins until reduced, then add the pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, stir again add 1/2 canful of water, the stock and milk, stir, add bay leaves, salt, pepper, bring up to the boil, and simmer on a medium heat for around an hour or until it reduces down and the sauce thickens.


For the béchamel sauce 


75g unsalted butter

75g plain flour

900ml milk 

Good pinch of salt 

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of coarse black pepper

1 Bay leaf

125g finely grated hellim (Halloumi cheese)

1 tsp dried mint 


Melt butter in a large saucepan on a medium heat, then add the flour and keep whisking until it forms a smooth roux. Add a 1/3 of the milk, plus the nutmeg, salt, coarse black pepper and bayleaf, whisking constantly, adding a little more of the milk along the way whilst still whisking. Once all the milk has been added and the sauce has thickened and starts to bubble a little, take the pan off the heat, remove the bayleaf, stir in the hellim and dried mint and leave to one side, ready to pour over the layers of pasta and ragù. 


For the basil & mint pesto 


25g toasted pine nuts

30g fresh basil leaves

30g fresh mint leaves

30g finely grated hellim

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove


Whizz together all the ingredients, bar the oil, in a food processor, then slowly pour the oil in whilst the food processor is still running until you get to the desired consistency. 


For the Lasagne


16-20 lasagne sheets 

200g mozzarella cheese

100g finely grated hellim 


Method


Preheat your oven to 190c fan / 210c. 


Brush the bottom of a large, oven-proof dish with olive oil then start layering up your lasagne; start with a layer of the ragù, followed by the béchamel, a little of the mozzarella, then lasagne sheets, more ragù, béchamel, then lasagne sheets and keep going until all of the elements have been used up saving extra béchamel for the top of the lasagne and only drizzling the pesto amongst the top two layers of béchamel. Finish off the top of the lasagne with the remaining mozzarella and all of the hellim, then pop in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until deliciously golden brown. 





Comments

  1. Anonymous4:25 pm

    Hi just wondering what you would put instead of red wine in the recipe?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:16 pm

      I don’t think there would be a substitute, would be a case of just leaving it out. Red wine is what gives it its rich flavour 😍❤️

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  3. Anonymous11:52 am

    Im allergic to wine so would have to leave it out , would I use more beef stock instead ? Or something else

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3:42 pm

    How many people will this feed please?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous10:40 am

    Hi, could I ask if this recipe is freezable?

    ReplyDelete

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