English Lasagna :: gluten free and low lactose

Never heard of English lasagna? Me either...until just over a year ago. Grandma Doogie (as in our kids Grandma Doogie) passed this one along to me. She's made it for years and says that she now doesn't make any other kind. I didn't even have to follow her around like a little puppy to scratch down the recipe as she cooked this time (unlike when she made her tasty ribs). She had it written down!

Here's the low down:

This dish looks like a regular ol' Italian lasagna but has less tomatoey sauce and no ricotta--less cheese overall. It has a bechamel sauce instead of the regular cheese mixture. It can be made gluten free and with lower lactose if you substitute the noodles for gluten free noodles; use gluten-free flour and coconut milk for the bechamel sauce instead of the cheese and egg mixture.
All I can say is that my husband and kids prefer this lasagna over the standard Italian version. So, try it sometime and let me know what you think.

Sorry, no picture...yet.

Meat Sauce:
1 pould lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1 cup chopped medium onion
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes in puree

Bechamel Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
(I use ~1/8 c. rice flour & equal parts potato & tapioca starch for the other 1/8 c.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
(I use a can of coconut milk and add enough water to = 3 cups. Almost a 1:1 ratio)

12 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles
(I use uncooked gluten-free noodles--usually penne)
3 cups shredded aged Cheddar cheese

Pasta...mangia, MANGIA!

Pasta is easy to serve to kids and adults alike. Most people seem to enjoy it in all its many forms. Even a gluten-free diet can be full of pasta, thanks (many, MANY thanks!) to a variety of g-f products these days. Here are a some of our pasta recipes that we rely on frequently.

Sausage & Peppers with Penne

This is one of Joe's favorite meals...and we are so happy to have found good gluten-free pasta that holds up to this hearty dish.

12 oz. penne pasta, cooked according to directions
1 lb. mild or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings & broken into small chunks
2 TBSP olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
2 large bell peppers (any color you have or prefer), halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

In large pan with lid, brown sausage on med-high heat; then drain drippings and remove meat from pan. To the pan heat the olive oil; then add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes until veggies are slightly tender but not overdone.

Add cooked noodles and sausage to the pan with vegetables. On medium heat, add tomatoes and wine (or chicken broth), salt and pepper to taste. With lid on, heat for a few minutes and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Cheese & Spinach Manicotti

...with Cream Sauce

This idea comes from my mother-in-law. I remember eating her manicotti dish that was every bit homemade. She even made the noodles! I liked her noodles (which were made like crepes) because they weren't difficult to pin down and cut with my fork--unlike some of those slippery little buggers that come in a box--and the filling didn't ooze out the sides. So here's a recipe I've adapted. I make it with a cream sauce since our kids prefer it at the moment over tomato sauce, but you can use a jar or two of spaghetti sauce or your own favorite sauce just as well! Please DO try making crepes. It really is easier than you think (besides the first one or two) and there are endless filling options!

FILLING:
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 oz. cottage (or Ricotta) cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp of dried basil
dash pepper
1-1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach (measured before cooking), wilt by cooking briefly in lightly oiled pan. If using frozen chopped spinach, squeeze out moisture and use only 3/4 cup.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a fork. Set aside.

CREPE NOODLES:
3 large eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP melted butter, + 2 TBSP melted butter for frying

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for one minute to build gluten (this is only for noodles, not regular crepes), or mix with a mixer. Allow batter to rest for one hour before cooking (crepes may tear easily if this step is skipped).

On medium heat, fry in a lightly buttered (use a brush) 8-inch non-stick skillet, using a 1/4 cup measure to pour batter. Turn pan so crepe covers entire bottom of pan. Using a spatula, your fingers, or the pan-flip method; turn crepe when it is a light golden color on the bottom. When the other side is done, slide it out onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter. The first 1-2 crepes usually don't work well!

Crepes can be stored in fridge or freezer with waxed paper between each crepe and an airtight cover.

CREAM SAUCE:
4 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
salt & pepper
dash of nutmeg
2-3 TBSP white wine, to taste

In a heavy medium-sized saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then slowly add milk, cream and wine. Add dash of nutmeg; salt and pepper to taste. Heat until thickened but still a pouring consistency. Take off heat.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13" pan with about a cup of the sauce. Add a line of 2 heaping tablespoons of filling down the middle of a crepe, fold ends in and roll up. Place in the baking dish. Continue until pan is full or crepes are all used (I usually have enough to fill another small baking dish). Pour rest of sauce over the stuffed crepes and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if you have it.