Ingredients
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1 large brown onion, sliced
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1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
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Olive oil, for cooking
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3 cloves garlic, crushed
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500g beef mince
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2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
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3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
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300ml shiraz
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2 tablespoons maple syrup
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Salt & pepper, to taste
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400g fresh pasta sheets
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375g mozzarella, grated
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1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
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1/2 cup parmesan
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6 slices prosciutto
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12 slices pepperoni
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Mini basil leaves, to garnish
This lasagna was created in Umbria, in central Italy, to feed hungry workers in the field; Fiona Hugues' lively version of the original will keep the biggest of appetites at bay!
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In a large, deep-sided frying pan over medium heat, fry onion and carrot in olive oil until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
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Add mince and cook, breaking up the lumps until browned. Add tomatoes, balsamic, shiraz and maple syrup, stir and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from the heat.
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Preheat oven to 180 degrees fanbake. Spoon half a cup of the meat mixture over the base of a 26cm baking dish. Cover with a layer of pasta sheets. Add half the meat and a thick layer of mozzarella. Top with a layer of pasta, the remaining meat (reserving the juices), more cheese and the spinach in one layer. Top with the final layer of pasta and add half the remaining mozzarella and a little parmesan over the top. Drizzle over the reserved meat juices.
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Tuck the prosciutto and pepperoni into the top layer and sprinkle over the remaining cheese, leaving bits of prosciutto and pepperoni peeking through to get deliciously crispy.
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Cover with a sheet of baking paper, followed by a tight layer of foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the paper and foil, and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown.
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Scatter with mini basil and serve with a green salad, if desired.
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