A delicious pasta dish is a staple for every home cook, and while lasagna is a good choice, it can take a while to make from scratch. Luckily, Mary Berry has a quick alternative for those seeking the same delicious flavors without the hassle. Sharing a recipe from her cookbook, *Mary Berry – Cook and Share*, the British baking icon revealed how she “cheats” by swapping two ingredients. Instead of rich beef mince, Mary uses shredded chicken and crème fraîche for the meaty base and swaps traditional béchamel sauce for a delicious blend of herbs and chopped tomatoes.
Describing the dish as “creamy and delicious”, the chef noted that soaking the lasagna sheets in water first will speed up the process even further.
Mary Berry’s Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients:
* Two tablespoons of olive oil
* 500g boneless and skinless chicken thighs, chopped
* Half a red chili deseeded and finely chopped
* Two garlic cloves, crushed
* 200g button mushrooms, sliced
* 200g baby spinach
* Two tablespoons of cornflour
* 200g crème fraîche
* One tablespoon of freshly chopped flatleaf parsley
* Six sheets of fresh lasagna
* 150g cheddar, grated
For the sauce:
* One 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
* Two tablespoons sundried tomato paste
* One tablespoon of chopped thyme leaves
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan), then put the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the chopped chicken to the pan and fry it until golden, but not fully cooked.
2. Next, sprinkle in the chili, garlic, and mushrooms before frying for a few more moments, then add the spinach.
3. Measure the cornflour into a small bowl and stir in two tablespoons of water. Stir gently until smooth, then set aside for later.
4. Now, add the crème fraîche and parsley to the pan with the chicken and stir well, pouring in the cornflour until the sauce has thickened.
5. Move onto the tomato sauce by first combining the chopped tomatoes with the paste and thyme in a small bowl.
6. Season the sauce base generously with some salt and pepper and a sprinkle of dried mixed herbs if you wish.
7. Next, soak the lasagna sheets in a shallow dish filled with boiling water for a few minutes until soft.
8. Take your lasagna dish and begin assembling it by first spooning a third of the chicken mixture onto the base. Spread it out evenly before layering with one-third of the tomato sauce.
9. Next, arrange three lasagna sheets on top, then repeat the layers, making sure to finish with a final layer of chicken mixture and sauce, topped with two layers of lasagna sheets.
10. Finally, sprinkle the top with the grated cheese and bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven. When the lasagna is cooked, it should be golden brown and bubbling on top.
