Mushroom & Pork Lasagne Cups
Image and Recipe Credit The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association
Serves 6 / Makes 6 lasagne cups
Ingredients:
250g Portabellini or white button mushrooms
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
250g pork mince
1 carrot, grated
350ml tomato purée
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
500ml milk
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
Salt, to taste
½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
12 lasagne sheets
Method:
Preheat oven to 180˚C.
Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are finely chopped.
In a large pan sauté the mushrooms with a little drizzle of olive oil until they have sweated off most of their water, about 10 to 15 min. Set mushrooms aside.
In the same large frying pan add a fresh drizzle of olive oil.
Cook the onion until very soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for a minute.
Add the pork mince and cook until golden brown around the edges.
Add the carrots and cook until tender.
Add the cooked mushrooms and tomato purée.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 min until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the béchamel:
In a large pan melt the butter.
Once melted add the flour and whisk over medium heat until the mixture smells like biscuits.
Pour in the milk in a very slow stream whisking constantly.
Whisk until all the milk has been fully incorporated.
Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until thick. Season well with salt.
Remove béchamel from the heat and stir in the grated cheese.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, boil the lasagne sheets according to package instructions.
Once al dente, remove from water and lay the sheets out individually on a clean kitchen surface.
To construct the cups
Brush a muffin tin with a little olive oil.
Place two cooked lasagne sheets across each other in each muffin cup.
Trim off most of the excess while leaving some to get crispy in the oven.
Alternate layers of cheesy béchamel and mushroom mixture until the cups are full.
Top with a little mozzarella.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the lasagne cups are bubbling and golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly before removing from cups and eating right away or packing into your lunchbox.