Every family has a dish it prepares in its own way. This is my wife’s lasagna recipe: instead of traditional pasta sheets, it uses puff pastry. The pastry makes the dish tender and filling, with lightly crisp edges. Between the layers are a meat sauce made with tomato paste and homemade béchamel, finished with a generous layer of melted cheese.
Ingredients
For the pastry and meat sauce
- puff pastry — two 500 g packages (about 2.2 lb total);
- ground meat — 500 g (about 1.1 lb);
- onion — 1 medium;
- tomato paste — 500 g (about 18 oz);
- salt and ground black pepper — to taste.
For the béchamel
- milk — 400 ml (1⅔ cups);
- butter — 25 g (about 2 tbsp);
- all-purpose flour — 3 level tbsp;
- salt and ground black pepper — to taste.
For the topping
- firm melting cheese — about 200–250 g (7–9 oz);
- a little butter for greasing the dish.
Make the meat sauce
Finely dice the onion and place it in a heated frying pan with a small amount of oil. Cook for about 3–5 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
Add the ground meat. Break it into small pieces with a spatula and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the tomato paste, salt and black pepper.
Simmer uncovered over low heat for about 20–25 minutes, until the excess liquid has evaporated. The sauce should remain moist but not watery, otherwise the puff pastry may become soggy.
Make the béchamel
About 5 minutes before the meat sauce is ready, place a small saucepan with 400 ml of milk over low heat. Add 25 g of butter and season with salt and pepper.
After about 2 minutes, once the milk is warm, add the flour a little at a time. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps and keep the sauce over low heat until it reaches a consistency similar to sour cream.
Assemble the lasagna
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions, but do not leave it in a warm room for too long. Cool pastry is easier to transfer to the baking dish.
- Prepare the dish
Lightly butter the bottom and sides.
- Make four pastry layers
Cut each of the two large sheets in half. If needed, roll or trim the pastry to fit the dish, then lightly prick each sheet a few times with a fork.
- Add the first layer
Place pastry on the bottom, spread it with a thin layer of béchamel and distribute part of the meat sauce evenly over it.
- Repeat the filling
Cover with the second pastry sheet and add béchamel and meat sauce again. Repeat with the third sheet, dividing the filling as evenly as possible.
- Close the lasagna
Add the fourth pastry sheet and spread the remaining béchamel over the top. Do not add the cheese yet.
Bake the lasagna
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for about 35–40 minutes. Do not rely only on the clock: the pastry edges should be golden and the centre should be thoroughly hot.
When the lasagna is almost ready, scatter the grated cheese evenly over the top and return it to the oven for another 3–5 minutes, until completely melted.
For a lightly golden top, leave it in the oven for a few extra minutes while watching closely so the cheese does not burn.
Do not slice the lasagna immediately after baking. Let it rest in the dish for 10–15 minutes. The filling will settle slightly, making the portions much easier to cut.
Tips for a better result
How to serve it
Puff-pastry lasagna is quite filling, so it pairs well with a simple salad of leafy greens, cucumbers and tomatoes, or vegetables without a heavy dressing.
The next day, it is best reheated in the oven. This preserves the pastry texture better than reheating it in a microwave.
Family recipes are about more than exact measurements and minutes. They carry the familiar aroma from the oven, a favourite baking dish and the meal everyone asks you to make again. That is what this lasagna has become for us.
