CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Lasagne originated in Italy, in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, the dough was prepared in Southern Italy with semolina and water and in the northern regions, where semolina was not available, with flour and eggs. Originally, in Italy, the word “lasagne” did not refer to a food. Lasagne are a type of pasta, possibly one of the oldest types, made of very wide, flat sheets. Either term can also refer to an Italian dish made of stacked layers of lasagne alternating with fillings.
Lasagne is a culinary dish made with stacked layers of pasta alternated with sauces and ingredients such as meats, vegetables and cheese, and sometimes topped with melted grated mozzarella cheese. It is made with a type of wide, flat pasta, possibly one of the oldest types of pasta. Traditionally, pasta dough prepared in Southern Italy used semolina and water; in the northern regions, where semolina was not available, flour and eggs were used. In modern Italy, since the only type of wheat allowed for commercially sold pasta is durum wheat, commercial lasagne are made of semolina from durum wheat.
Typically, the cooked pasta is assembled with the other ingredients and then baked in an oven.Lasagne is a wide, flat sheet of pasta. Lasagne can refer to either the type of noodle or to the typical lasagne dish which is a dish made with several layers of lasagne sheets with sauce and other ingredients, such as meats and cheese, in between the lasagne noodles.
While it is also said that Lasagne originated in Italy during the Middle Ages and have traditionally been ascribed to the city of Naples.
The concept of lasagne is well versed with us here in India since a long time now and we have also tried to apply a number of fusion ideas to it as well to make it more versatile, tasty, yummy and to suit the spice levels of our foodies and connoisseurs. The desi lasagne done with a mix and match approach has done wonders for those who wish to explore new flavours and ideas when it comes to fusion lasagne. A few of my experiments too worked out very well to meet up a clients need who was looking for tadke wala desi punch lasagne recipes in which we re-created a chicken makhani and olive lasagne, herbed palak paneer lasagne with loads of cheese and marinated green olives, paprika and pine nut soil. Besides, we also did a navratan lasagne, a Kolhapuri mutton lasagne, a thai spiced coconut curry with prawns in a lasagne, pizza pasta lasagne, jeera aloo and schezuan chili pepper lasagne to name a few!
“Lasagne Italiano ! the name itself is so very tempting and inviting. It is a perfect combination of tastes, flavours, textures, aromas and richness balanced together in a way that any foodie would get mesmerised at its very first bite”! – Dr. Kaviraj Khialani – Celebrity Master Chef.
Here are a few easy to make concepts with Lasagne for a change!
VEGGIE WONDER LASAGNE
Ingredients
Lasagne pasta sheets- 12-16 no, boiled.
For the vegetable layer filling
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Green chili-1 tsp chopped
Carrots- ¼ cup chopped
French beans-1/4 cup sliced
Green peas-1/4 cup boiled
Green/red/yellow capsicum-1/4 cup small cubes
Mushroom-1/2 cup sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Water-1/4 cup
White sauce- 2 cups
Tomato sauce-1/2 cup
Capsico/ tabasco sauce-1/2 -1 tsp
Grated cheese- 1 cup
Sliced black and green olives- 3-4 no each
To serve with: garlic bread/ bread rolls
Method:
- Prepare the pasta sheets by keeping them ready to use.
- Pre-prep all the vegetables as well and keep them handy.
- The white sauce, grating of cheese etc to be kept hands on.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease a baking dish with oil/ butter and keep.
- Start with the filling on the gas, heat oil and butter add in the garlic and onions and saute for a few seconds, add in the mix veggies and saute them all for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and cook them all for 3-4 mins, add a little water just enough to enable cooking of the tough veggies.
- Start with assembling little white sauce at the base of the baking dish, place the boiled sheets of lasagne, spread out the prepared vegetable filling on the sheet, sprinkle some herbs, chili flakes and some grated cheese and continue layering the lasagne sheets.
- Top it up with some white sauce and cheese and drizzle a little tomato sauce over as well, place the lasagne for baking in the oven for 12-18 mins, remove and serve hot.
BETWEEN THE SHEETS
Ingredients
Lasagne pasta sheets- 12-16 no, boiled.
For the bean &vegetable layer filling
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Green chili-1 tsp chopped
Tomato-1/2 cup chopped
baked beans-1 cup tinned
Green peas-1/4 cup boiled
Green/red/yellow capsicum-1/4 cup small cubes
Boiled American corn-1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Water-1/4 cup
White sauce- 2 cups
Tomato sauce-1/2 cup
Capsico/ tabasco sauce-1/2 -1 tsp
Grated cheese- 1 cup
Sliced black and green olives- 3-4 no each
To serve with: garlic bread/ bread rolls
Method
- Prepare the pasta sheets by keeping them ready to use.
- Pre-prep all the vegetables as well and keep them handy.
- The white sauce, grating of cheese etc to be kept hands on.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease a baking dish with oil/ butter and keep.
- Start with the filling on the gas, heat oil and butter add in the garlic and onions and saute for a few seconds, add in the mix veggies and tomatoes, saute them all for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and cook them all for 3-4 mins, add a little water just enough to enable cooking of the tough veggies then add in the corn, baked beans and allow them to cook as well.
- Start with assembling little white sauce at the base of the baking dish, place the boiled sheets of lasagne, spread out the prepared vegetable filling on the sheet, sprinkle some herbs, chili flakes and some grated cheese and continue layering the lasagne sheets.
- Top it up with some white sauce and cheese and drizzle a little tomato sauce over as well, place the lasagne for baking in the oven for 12-18 mins, remove and serve hot.
CHEESY CHICKEN MINCE LASAGNE
Ingredients
Lasagne pasta sheets- 12-16 no, boiled.
For the chicken mince layer filling
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Green chili-1 tsp chopped
Tomato-1/2 cup chopped
Chicken mince- -1 and half cup
Green peas-1/4 cup boiled
Green/red/yellow capsicum-1/4 cup small cubes
Boiled American corn-1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Water-1/4 cup
White sauce- 2 cups
Tomato sauce-1/2 cup
Capsico/ tabasco sauce-1/2 -1 tsp
Grated cheese- 1 cup
Sliced black and green olives- 3-4 no each
To serve with: garlic bread/ bread rolls
Method
- Prepare the pasta sheets by keeping them ready to use.
- Pre-prep all the vegetables as well and keep them handy.
- The white sauce, grating of cheese etc to be kept hands on.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease a baking dish with oil/ butter and keep.
- Start with the filling on the gas, heat oil and butter add in the garlic and onions and saute for a few seconds, add in the chicken keema and assorted veggies and tomatoes, saute them all for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and cook them all for 3-4 mins, add a little water just enough to enable cooking of the tough veggies then add in the corn, baked beans or any boiled or tinned pulses if being used add in and allow them to cook as well.
- Start with assembling little white sauce at the base of the baking dish, place the boiled sheets of lasagne, spread out the prepared vegetable filling on the sheet, sprinkle some herbs, chili flakes and some grated cheese and continue layering the lasagne sheets.
- Top it up with some white sauce and cheese and drizzle a little tomato sauce over as well, place the lasagne for baking in the oven for 12-18 mins, remove and serve hot.
FLORENTINE LASAGNE
Ingredients
Lasagne pasta sheets- 12-16 no, boiled.
For the spinach and cottage cheese layer filling
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Green chili-1 tsp chopped
Tomato-1/2 cup chopped
Spinach blanched and chopped -1 and half cup
Green peas-1/4 cup boiled
Cottage cheese/ paneer-1 cup grated
Green/red/yellow capsicum-1/4 cup small cubes
Boiled American corn-1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Water-1/4 cup
White sauce- 2 cups
Tomato sauce-1/2 cup
Capsico/ tabasco sauce-1/2 -1 tsp
Grated cheese- 1 cup
Sliced black and green olives- 3-4 no each
To serve with: garlic bread/ bread rolls
Method
- Prepare the pasta sheets by keeping them ready to use.
- Pre-prep all the vegetables as well and keep them handy.
- The white sauce, grating of cheese etc to be kept hands on.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease a baking dish with oil/ butter and keep.
- Start with the filling on the gas, heat oil and butter add in the garlic and onions and saute for a few seconds, add in the spinach and assorted veggies and tomatoes, saute them all for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and cook them all for 3-4 mins, add a little water just enough to enable cooking of the tough veggies then add in the corn, cottage cheese and allow them to cook as well.
- Start with assembling little white sauce at the base of the baking dish, place the boiled sheets of lasagne, spread out the prepared vegetable filling on the sheet, sprinkle some herbs, chili flakes and some grated cheese and continue layering the lasagne sheets.
- Top it up with some white sauce and cheese and drizzle a little tomato sauce over as well, place the lasagne for baking in the oven for 12-18 mins, remove and serve hot.
LASAGNE ROLL UP DELIGHTS
Ingredients
Lasagne pasta sheets- 12-16 no, boiled.
For the layer filling
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Green chili-1 tsp chopped
Tomato-1/2 cup chopped
Spinach blanched and chopped -1 and half cup
Sliced Mushrooms-1/4 cup
Cottage cheese/ paneer-1 cup grated
Green/red/yellow capsicum-1/4 cup small cubes
Soya keema cooked-1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Water-1/4 cup
White sauce- 2 cups
Tomato sauce-1/2 cup
Capsico/ tabasco sauce-1/2 -1 tsp
Grated cheese- 1 cup
Sliced black and green olives- 3-4 no each
To serve with: garlic bread/ bread rolls
Method
- Prepare the pasta sheets by keeping them ready to use.
- Pre-prep all the vegetables as well and keep them handy.
- The white sauce, grating of cheese etc to be kept hands on.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease a baking dish with oil/ butter and keep.
- Start with the filling on the gas, heat oil and butter add in the garlic and onions and saute for a few seconds, add in assorted veggies and tomatoes, add in cooked soya keema, saute them all for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and cook them all for 3-4 mins, add a little water just enough to enable cooking of the tough veggies then add in the corn, cottage cheese and allow them to cook as well.
- Start with assembling little white sauce at the base of the baking dish, place the boiled sheets of lasagne, spread out the prepared vegetable filling on the sheet, roll them up individually and place them on the dish, sprinkle some herbs, chili flakes and some grated cheese and continue layering the lasagne sheets.
- Top it up with some white sauce and cheese and drizzle a little tomato sauce over as well, place the lasagne for baking in the oven for 12-18 mins, remove and serve hot
SPICED SAUSAGE LASAGNE
Ingredients
Lasagne pasta sheets- 12-16 no, boiled.
For the spiced sausage layer filling
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Green chili-1 tsp chopped
Tomato-1/2 cup chopped
Spinach blanched and chopped -1 and half cup
Green peas-1/4 cup boiled
Sliced chicken sausages-1 cup
Green/red/yellow capsicum-1/4 cup small cubes
Boiled American corn-1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Water-1/4 cup
White sauce- 2 cups
Tomato sauce-1/2 cup
Capsico/ tabasco sauce-1/2 -1 tsp
Grated cheese- 1 cup
Sliced black and green olives- 3-4 no each
To serve with: garlic bread/ bread rolls
Method
- Prepare the pasta sheets by keeping them ready to use.
- Pre-prep all the vegetables as well and keep them handy.
- The white sauce, grating of cheese etc to be kept hands on.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease a baking dish with oil/ butter and keep.
- Start with the filling on the gas, heat oil and butter add in the garlic and onions and saute for a few seconds, add in the spinach and assorted veggies and tomatoes, saute them all for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and cook them all for 3-4 mins, add a little water just enough to enable cooking of the tough veggies then add in the corn, sliced chicken sausages and allow them to cook as well.
- Start with assembling little white sauce at the base of the baking dish, place the boiled sheets of lasagne, spread out the prepared vegetable filling on the sheet, sprinkle some herbs, chili flakes and some grated cheese and continue layering the lasagne sheets.
- Top it up with some white sauce and cheese and drizzle a little tomato sauce over as well, place the lasagne for baking in the oven for 12-18 mins, remove and serve hot.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336.
