Here’s a hearty and comforting recipe for a Yuletide Lasagne, perfect for using up any cooked meats you have on hand.
This dish is a fantastic way to transform leftover turkey, ham, or sausages into a delicious and satisfying meal.
Start by gently sautéing diced red onion, grated garlic, and freshly chopped rosemary in olive oil, creating a fragrant base. The aroma is lovely and sets the stage for the rich flavours to come. Stir in chopped tomatoes, a splash of red wine, and a bit of tomato puree for depth, alongside oregano and a bay leaf for that herby touch. Simmer this sauce until it thickens into a robust, flavoursome mixture, then fold in your chopped leftover meats to make it hearty.
Contrasting the meat sauce, you’ll make a creamy cheese sauce. Begin with a roux of butter and flour, cooking until golden brown. Gradually whisk in a mix of milk and double cream, achieving a velvety, thick sauce. Stir in a generous amount of grated mature cheddar for that irresistible cheesy goodness.
Layering is key in lasagne. Start with a layer of meat sauce, followed by dried lasagne sheets, and then the cheese sauce. Repeat this process, finishing with a final sprinkle of cheese on top. After baking until bubbly and golden, let the lasagne rest – this patience pays off, making it easier to serve and allowing the flavours to meld beautifully.
This Yuletide Lasagne is a great way to repurpose those Christmas dinner leftovers into a whole new meal. It’s a comforting, cheesy, and utterly satisfying dish that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Yuletide Lasagne
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (grated)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (chopped)
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 250ml red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 300ml beef stock
- 750g leftover cooked meat, such as turkey, ham, cocktail sausages
- 75g butter
- 150g mature cheddar cheese (grated)
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 400ml milk
- 400ml double cream
- 18-20 dried Lasagne Sheets
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C
- Heat the oil in a large pan or casserole dish. Add the onion, rosemary, and garlic, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the onions are beginning to soften.
- Add the oregano, tomatoes, tomato puree, wine, beef stock, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Chop up the meat then stir into the sauce and simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Now you can get on with the cheese sauce. Put the butter into a pan over a medium heat and once melted, add the flour. Cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes until the butter mixture turns a deep golden brown.
- Whisk the milk and cream together in a measuring jug. Turn the heat to low and add in a few tablespoons of the milk mixture and whisk. It will form a thick paste. Keep adding the milk 2-3 tablespoons at a time, whisking as you go. Only add more milk once fully absorbed. Once all of the milk and cream has been added you will have a smooth, thick, sauce. Simmer gently, while slowly whisking for about 15 minutes. At the end, add 100g of the grated cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce.
- Now it’s time to assemble the lasagne. Grease a large dish with butter and add a thin layer of meat sauce. Then, a layer of pasta sheets, making sure they overlap each other, followed by a layer of cheese sauce. Repeat these layers another two times.
- To finish sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the final layer of cheese sauce and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Take the lasagne out of the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
