Lasagna

This Sunday we had lasagna for lunch.  I used Del Monte Spaghetti sauce Italian style for the meat sauce instead of the sweet Filipino style, the addition of celery and bell peppers adds natural sweetness while the bechamel sauce made it so creamy you will be asking for more.  

Ingredients

Tomato Meat Sauce

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup crushed garlic

1/2 cup onion

1 kilo ground beef

Spaghetti Sauce ( Del Monte Italian Sauce)

1 can Mushroom

1 cup chopped Celery

1 cup chopped Green bell peppers

Salt and Pepper

2 to 3 cups Water

2 bay leaves

2 tsp Italian seasoning

Bechamel Sauce

1 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

3 cups hot water

3 cups milk

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp pepper

2 cups grated cheese

Pasta

500 grams Lasagna noodles

Instructions
For the meat sauce:

1. Heat olive oil and butter, saute the garlic and onions.
2. Add the ground beef, cook until it turns brown.
3. Add the celery and bell peppers, after a minute add the spaghetti sauce.
4. Pour the water, italian seasoning, and bay leaves, simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.
5.  Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer another 30 minutes.

For the Bechamel Sauce:
1. Melt butter in a pan. Blend in flour.
2. Gradually stir in the hot water and milk. Cook until bubbly.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the pasta:
Cook according to package directions.

Assembly

1. Preheat oven at 350 degree F.

2. Grease a Pyrex dish with butter, arrange a layer of lasagna noodles.

3. Spoon in tomato meat sauce, and pour some bechamel sauce on top.

4. Repeat layering the pasta and meat sauce and lastly add the rest of bechamel sauce on top. Sprinkle additional cheese.

5. Bake until top is golden brown. Let stand about 5-10 minutes to set layers.