Do you want to try a new recipe? Combine lasagna and mac and cheese! Instead of using the classic sheets, cook curved rigatoni and toss them with cheese sauce. When the preparation is complete, lay them with the minced meat and the tomato sauce. The recipe has 2 variations: the first involves the use of packaged mac and cheese, the second will require you to prepare everything from scratch with fresh ingredients such as cottage cheese. Garnish the lasagna with the cheese, letting it cook until it begins to melt.
Ingrediants
Quick Recipe
- 2 packs of 200 g of mac and cheese
- 120 ml of milk
- 120 g of butter, cut into cubes
- 450 g of minced meat
- 350 ml of tomato sauce
- 60 g of sliced mozzarella
Doses for 6 servings
Preparation from scratch
- 500 g of cooked curved rigatoni
- 500 g of cottage cheese
- 100 g of sliced mozzarella
- 100 g of grated cheddar
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 onion cut into cubes
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon of ground fennel seeds
- 500-700 g of minced meat
- 800 g of tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped basil
Doses for 6-8 servings
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Quick Recipe
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C
Although this type of lasagna should not be baked in the oven, baking it at the end of the procedure makes it much tastier.
Step 2. Fill a pot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat
At this point, open 2 packs of 200 g of mac and cheese. Remove the powdered cheese sachets and set them aside. Pour the rigatoni into boiling water and cook for 7-8 minutes.
Stir them occasionally to keep them from sticking to the pot. They should soften when cooked
Step 3. Drain the pasta in the sink and return it to the pot
Pour in the cheese sachets and other ingredients, then mix well. You will need to add:
- The 2 sachets of powdered cheese;
- 120 ml of milk;
- 120 g of butter, cut into cubes.
Step 4. Cook 450g of ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat
Stir it from time to time until completely cooked, which will happen when it reaches 70 ° C. Drain the fat or pat it dry with a paper towel.
If you prefer lean meats, you can substitute turkey or ground chicken instead
Step 5. Pour 350ml tomato sauce over the minced meat and mix
Set the pan aside and spray cooking spray on a baking dish.
Greasing the pan allows you to remove the lasagna more easily, and it will also be easier to wash it
Step 6. With a spoon, place half of the sauce on the bottom of the pan
Sprinkle half of the mac and cheese evenly over the sauce, then repeat the process one more time. Garnish with 60 g of sliced mozzarella.
Step 7. Bake the dish for 15 minutes
Cooking in the oven allows you to heat the lasagna and melt the mozzarella.
Serve them with Parmigiano Reggiano, a salad or bread
Method 2 of 2: Preparation from Scratch
Step 1. Grease a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it over medium heat
As the oil heats up, cook 1 onion cut into cubes, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon of ground fennel seeds. Skip the ingredients in the pan for about 7-8 minutes, stirring them from time to time.br>
The onion should wilt
Step 2. Add 500-700g of ground beef
Mix it well to make it shred and let it cook for 10 minutes or until completely cooked.
It will be ready when it reaches a temperature of 70 ° C
Step 3. Add 800g of tomato puree and the following seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon of oregano;
- 1 bay leaf;
- ½ teaspoon of paprika;
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar;
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4. Bring the sauce to a boil and adjust the heat to medium-low
Let it simmer without a lid, so that the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C.
You can simmer the sauce for as long as you like. If you are in a hurry, it only takes 5 minutes
Step 5. Grease a baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray and place 150-300 g of ragù on the bottom
Measure 500 g of cooked rigatoni and arrange them on the sauce. Sprinkle 250g of cottage cheese on top of the pastry, then garnish with 30g of mozzarella and 30g of grated cheddar. Repeat the layering process, garnishing the surface of the lasagna with grated cheese.
Step 6. Place the pan in the oven and let the lasagna cook for 20-30 minutes
The cheese should melt and brown, while the meat sauce should boil.
