Free Press Journal, What's Cooking: Urvashi Rautela dons the chef’s apron as she reveals the recipe for her favourite Italian dish

Urvashi shares the recipe of her favourite dish:

Spinach & Mushroom Lasagne

Ingredients for making the stuffing for Lasagne: 

6 pasta sheets

4 bunch spinach (finely chopped) 

3 packets mushrooms (washed well and finely sliced)

14 to 16 cloves of garlic (crushed) 

3 tbsp olive oil 

Salt and pepper to taste 

250 gms fresh paneer

Grated Mozzarella cheese as required 

Method:

In a big vessel, boil sufficient water with 2 tbsp olive oil and little salt. Put pasta sheets in the boiling water. Gently remove them after they are done. Place the pasta sheets on greased plates so that they do not stick to each other. Wash and blanch the spinach in boiling water for couple of minutes. Remove and immerse the blanched spinach in cold water. Squeeze out all the excess water from the spinach and keep aside.

 In a pan, lightly heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add crushed garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté on high flame till all the water evaporates.

Add the kept aside blanched spinach and sauté for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper powder (as per taste) till the mushroom and spinach mixture is absolutely dry. Add crumbled paneer and mix well. Keep this aside. Make red sauce and white sauce as per the recipe mentioned below.

For making Red Sauce

Ingredients 

8 medium sized red tomatoes

4 to 5 tbsp olive oil 

12 to 14 cloves garlic 

1 bunch spring onions 

2 to 3 tsp sugar 

3 to 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 

Oregano/ pasta seasoning (as per taste)

Red chilli flakes (as per taste)

10-12 basil leaves (torn)

Salt to taste

Method: 

Boil the tomatoes in sufficient water for 8-10 minutes on a medium flame. Cool completely and remove the skin of the tomatoes. Pulse the tomatoes in a blender to make little chunky purée. In a non-stick pan, lightly heat olive oil in a pan, add crushed garlic. Sauté the crushed garlic for few seconds. Add tomato purée and cook on a low flame for 10 mins. Add sugar, oregano or pasta seasoning, tomato ketchup, and some red chilli flakes. Add salt to taste. Continue to cook on a low flame till the sauce is slightly thickened. Add some torn basil leaves. Mix well. The sauce is ready.

For making White Sauce

Ingredients 

5 tbsp butter

4 tbsp flour (maida)

5 cups milk

1/2 cup grated cheese

Salt and pepper as per taste

Method:

Lightly heat butter in a non-stick pan, once the butter melts, add flour and sauté on a low flame till it turns light golden. Switch off the gas, add milk gradually with one hand and continuously stir with another hand to avoid lumps, preferably stir with a whisker to avoid any lumps. Mix well. Keep the vessel back on the gas and continue stirring the milk on a low flame till you feel the milk has started to thicken. Once milk starts thickening, add grated cheese stirring continuously till the milk has thickened. Switch off the gas, add salt and mix well. Cool completely and add pepper powder as per taste.

To Assemble:

Representative image

In a greased baking dish, spread generous amount of red sauce at the bottom of the dish. Then place about three pasta sheets. Spread some spinach and mushroom mixture on it. Evenly pour some white sauce on it. Then place three more pasta sheets on it, spread some more spinach mixture on the pasta sheets. Pour the remaining red sauce on it. You can also spread some remaining white sauce on it. Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese on top and bake at 180 degree C or till the cheese melts and is golden. Let it rest for 10 mins before serving.

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