Pepper and Meat Lasagna

I love to cook, eat and enjoy Italian Food. Its my second favorite cuisine after Indian. And when it comes to Lasagna, just the thought of it is drool worthy. So, today sharing a non-vegetarian recipe. Cook and Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Olive oil.
1 lb ground meat (of your choice).
1/2 medium onion, diced.
1/2 large bell pepper (green, red, and yellow), seeds and veins removed, diced.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
1 can (28-ounce) tomato sauce.
1/2 can (3 oz) tomato paste.
1 can (14-ounce) crushed tomatoes.
2 tsp dried oregano.
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning.
Pinch of garlic powder and/or garlic salt (optional)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar.
Salt and Sugar to taste.
1/2 lb dry lasagna noodles (requires 9 lasagna noodles -unbroken)
Freshly grated Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Method:

Put a large pot of salted water on the stove-top on high heat. While it is coming up to boil,prepare the sauce.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the ground meat (I have used lamb) and cook it until lightly browned and cooked through.

Add the diced bell pepper and onions to another skillet.Brown for a few minutes on medium high heat.

Now add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

Then add the browned meat back to the skillet,lower the heat to low and continue to cook for 5 more minutes stirring frequently.

Transfer meat, bell peppers and onions to a medium sized pot. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Add oregano, parsley, Italian seasoning, adjust amounts to taste. Add a pinch of garlic powder and/or a pinch of garlic salt, to taste. 

Add in a splash of red wine vinegar. Put sugar and salt to taste, and note: that you will later be adding Parmesan, which is salty.(Note: Keep tasting at each level)

Bring the sauce to a simmer and lower the heat to low to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 15-45 minutes to thicken and then remove from heat.

Now in the boiling water add the dry lasagna noodles and cook then as per package directions (al dente).When ready, drain in a colander and rinse with cool water, gently separating any noodles that may be sticking together.

Spread a little olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet, and lay out the cooked noodles on this sheet, turning them over so that they get coated with a little of the olive oil. This will prevent them from sticking together.

In a rectangular casserole or lasagna dish, ladle one cup of sauce and spread it along the bottom of the pan. Apply one layer noodles 3 length wise/ breath wise as per the pan size.Ladle a third of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Apply a layer of the mozzarella on top of lasagna sauce. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese in thin even layer on top of mozzarella cheese.

Apply second layer of noodles, top it with half of the remaining sauce. Add half of the remaining Mozzarella, and another thin sprinkling of Parmesan.

Finish with another layer of noodles. Spread the remaining sauce over the top layer of noodles and sprinkle with the remaining Mozzarella cheese.(Note: In total 3 layers of noodle sheets).

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil (not touching noodles or sauce). Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

May be reheated in conventional oven or microwave.

Its Super tasty and if you haven't tried it yet,then you definitely must!

Grilled Vegetarian Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a fresh,simple and delicious Italian appetizer that can be prepared in minutes and enjoyed any time of the year.Authentic Italian form,bruschetta requires that bread be toasted over real coal,rubbed with slices of raw garlic,drizzled with olive oil,sea salt and fresh pepper.

But many variation have evolved,using of different vegetables like basil, tomatoes, beans, etc.The recipe that I'm posting in here isn't cooked in authentic style,its a variation that I came across in a cookbook.

Let's go over the Ingredients:

1 loaf of french bread,sliced.

A handful sliced mushrooms.

Yellow and green zucchini or courgette,thinly sliced.

Medium sized long eggplant,thinly sliced.

Tomatoes,chopped.

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes.

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Mix salt,black pepper in olive oil and then add in the tomatoes and marinate it for an hour.

Grill Mushrooms,zucchini and eggplant in preheated oven at 180 C.

Toast the bread slightly in preheated oven at 180 C.

Now place the grilled veggies,layering one after the other.

Again in 220 C toast the bread,bring it out and Serve.

Pasta In Red Sauce

Life is a combination of magic and pasta. ~Federico Fellini.

I love love love pasta!Give me in red sauce or white sauce,I'll gobble down both *winks*,I find it that tasty.And I cook it too,experimenting with all kinds of veggies that I can put in my plate.

Sometimes,I keep it simple and sometimes I use various elements to spice it up,it depends whats available at that moment.

So,without further ado,here's an easy recipe of pasta in red sauce.

Ingredients:

1 cup pasta of your choice(I have used the bow tie shape,looks pretty).

1/2 cup sweet corn.

1/2 cup chicken stock/veg stock.

1/2 cup grated cheese.

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Salt to taste.

-For Red Sauce:

2 tablespoon olive oil.

1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes.

1 cup ready-made tomato puree.

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup.

1 small piece of butter.

1/2 cup finely chopped onions.

1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic.

1 teaspoon dried oregano.

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley.

1/2 tsp sugar (optional).

Salt to taste.

Method:

First put a pan fill it with water,bring it up to boil and put in generous amount of salt.In there will go the pasta.

Pour oil in a skillet in medium heat,add in the garlic.Let the garlic and the oil infuse well,cook until the garlic is really fragrant.

Add in the chilly flakes and chopped onions,saute it for a min and then add in tomato puree and tomato ketchup.Stir well all the ingredients together.

Season it will salt,pepper and dried oregano.

Add in a little sugar and the chopped parsley.

The sauce is ready.In there goes the sweet corn and the chicken stock,let it simmer and thicken again.

Add in the boiled Pasta and the butter.

Plate it and sprinkle the grated cheese.The cheese will melt on its own and its ready to serve.

I'll post in Pasta in white sauce,soon! Till then cook this and enjoy....

Squisito Stile Italiano!

I love eating as well as cooking Italian cuisine.And among all of them the easiest and hassle free is Spaghetti.

So here is Baked Spaghetti for all of you.

Let's go over the Ingredients:

2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
1 medium onion,finely chopped.

3 to 4 cloves of garlic,finely chopped.
1 to 2 cup chicken/pasta stock(for vegetarian).
1 packet wheat spaghetti (or any of your choice).
4 tablespoon of butter.
3/4 cup of grated Mozzarella(you can find it in any super market,but if you don't,you might
opt for normal processed cheese).
Freshly ground black pepper.
A handful of chopped mushrooms(optional).
1 bell pepper,finely sliced.
2 tomatoes,finely chopped and one pureed.
A pinch of oregano and dried parsley(might go for Italian seasoning).
2 1/2 cup milk.
2 eggs,beaten.
Salt to taste.

Method:

First pre-heat oven to 350F/190C.

Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil,add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon full oil,then add the spaghetti and cook until it is barely done.

Drain well.

In a skillet heat olive oil and the chopped garlic and when they are well-incorporated together,then into goes the chopped tomatoes,bell pepper,mushrooms,and onions and saute.Add in a little chicken stock to lightly soften them.Do not add too much,otherwise it might tend to get soggy.Place them aside on a different bowl.

Now for the sauce,place the skillet again and heat a teaspoon of olive oil and add in tomato puree.Then add grounded black pepper,salt to taste and seasoning.Just when it thickens turn off the burner and set aside.

In a clean bowl,add the beaten egg,milk,cheese and little more seasoning and stir to mix well.

Take a baking dish,brush butter all over.Layer it up first with the spaghetti,then the vegetable mixture,another layer of spaghetti then the sauce and the egg mixture and mozzarella.Repeat again.

Bake,uncovered about 30-35 minutes,or until the top is nicely browned.Let sit for some minutes.

Cut into squares and serve.

-Buon appetito!