Lasagne Al Tonno

Serves 4.

Reheats well.

Can safely:

• Miss out mushrooms
• Miss out capers
• Replace parmesan cheese with red leicester

Ingredients

• 15ml/1tbsp virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped or crushed
• 100g/4oz bacon, rinded and cut into fine strips
• 150g mushrooms, chopped
• 30ml/2tbsp capers, chopped
• 30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 400g/14oz/1 large can of tomatoes, chopped
• 30ml/2tbsp tomato puree
• 370g/14oz/1 large can tuna, drained
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/2oz/half cup unsalted butter
• 50g/2oz/half cup plain flour
• 600ml/1pint/2.5 cups milk
• 9 sheets of no-need-to-cook lasagne
• 50g/2oz/half cup parmesan cheese

Method

Filling

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the bacon and mushrooms, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the capers, basil, tomatoes and tomato puree, and simmer for 8 minutes.
4. Flake the tuna and stir into the sauce, season with the salt and pepper.

White Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan.
2. Blend in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk.
4. Return to the heat, whisking until the sauce comes to the boil.
5. Season to taste.

Combining

1. Place one third of the filling in an oven proof dish.
2. Cover with 3 sheets of lasagne.
3. Repeat twice more.
4. Pour over the white sauce and sprinkle with the cheese.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.

Spaghetti con Maiale, Acciughe e Pomodori (Spaghetti with Pork, Anchovies and Tomato)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled but left whole
• 1 onion, sliced
• 225g minced (ground) pork
• 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1 red (bell) pepper, sliced
• 25g tin of anchovies, drained and chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 150ml vegetable stock
• salt and pepper
• 200g spaghetti
• grated red leicester

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, and brown the garlic, onion and pork.
2. Remove the garlic
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, sliced red peppers, anchovies and bay leaves.
4. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the stock.
6. Simmer for 30 minutes.
7. During this time, cook the spaghetti.
8. Remove the bay leaves.
9. Serve sauce on top of the spaghetti, topped with the grated cheese.

Spaghetti alla Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Spaghetti)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 red peppers, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 1 aubergine, diced
• 1 courgette, diced
• 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Sufficient spaghetti for 4

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic and onion for 2 minutes
2. Add the peppers, aubergine and courgette and fry for a further 3 minutes
3. Blend in the tomatoes, tomato puree and basil and season with the salt and pepper
4. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally
5. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti and drain well
6. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce before serving