This gnocchi is made with mashed beans and potato flour, making it gluten-free. I always keep a can of cannelloni beans in the store cupboard as they are so useful to have. Lamb mince is great value and do cook it slowly. You could also use either beef or pork mince. Pecorino is a delicious hard cheese, a bit like parmesan, so if you cannot find it use parmesan instead.
Lasagne is ideal for a dinner party, particularly if you are catering for some vegetarians in the group. A lot of mushrooms are in season now. You might like to try this recipe with ones you collect yourself, or experiment with the more exotic types like shiitake or oyster mushrooms. If you want, you can make this lasagne up to two days in advance. Have it ready to be cooked, then bake as described in the recipe and finish by sautéing off the mushrooms to serve. Macroom makes a very good mozzarella. Taleggio is a great Italian hard cheese. I love it.
The Nation’s Favourite Healthy Food by Neven Maguire is published by Gill & MacMillan.
White Bean Gnocchi with Lamb RagÙ
Serves four to six
2 x 400g (14oz) cans of cannellini beans
150g (5oz) of potato flour
1 large egg
3 tbsp of Donegal rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp of tomato purée
500g (1 1/4lb) of lean lamb mince
1 tsp of chopped fresh oregano
120ml (4fl oz) of white wine
400g (14oz) can of whole plum tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Pecorino, to garnish
1 Put the beans in a food processor with the flour, egg, one tablespoon of oil and one teaspoon of salt. Pulse to combine, then wrap in clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes.
2 Heat the rest of the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for three to four minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for another minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the lamb mince and brown for about five minutes, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.
3 Pour the wine into the lamb mixture and allow it to bubble down. Then crush the plum tomatoes with your hands and add them with the sugar and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until tender.
4 Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Roll the chilled dough into two thin logs and cut into 2.5cm (1in) lengths. Boil in batches for five minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and toss with the cooked lamb ragù. Divide among warmed wide-rimmed bowls and scatter over the Pecorino to serve.
Wild Mushroom Lasagne
Serves six
20g (3/4oz) of dried porcini mushrooms
5 tbsp of freshly boiled water
2 tbsp of Donegal rapeseed oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of chopped fresh thyme
500g (1¼lb) of mixed mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
600ml (1 pint) of passata
200g (7oz) of fresh lasagne sheets
200g of mozzarella, sliced
25g (1oz) of freshly grated Parmesan
For the cheese sauce:
40g (1½oz) of butter, extra for greasing
40g (1½oz) of plain flour
850ml (1 pint 9fl oz) of milk
¼ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
250g (9oz) of taleggio cheese
For the mushroom sauté:
25g (1oz) of butter
2 cloves of garlic
300g (11oz) of wild mixed mushrooms
1 tbsp of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lightly dressed green salad, to serve
1 Soak the porcini mushrooms in the freshly boiled water for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for four to five minutes, until they start to soften. Add the bay leaf, thyme, mushrooms and garlic, then cook for about five minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened and the liquid has evaporated. Add the passata and the porcini with the soaking liquid. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for six to eight minutes to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.
2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark four). For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for one to two minutes, whisking continuously. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then cook for another two to three minutes to thicken. Stir in the nutmeg, season to taste, then add the taleggio piece by piece, whisking until it’s melted and combined.
3 Butter a 2l baking dish, then make a layer with a third of the lasagne sheets. Top with half of the mushroom mixture, then spoon over a third of the cheese sauce. Repeat, then add a third layer of lasagne sheets and pour over the remaining cheese sauce. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, make the mushroom sauté. Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the mushrooms and garlic for three to four minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper and then fold in the parsley. Scatter the mushroom sauté over the lasagne and serve straight to the table with a large bowl of salad. CL
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