Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake 

Ingredients

For the Red Velvet Cake:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I prefer Gold Medal flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cocoa

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups canola oil

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

For the cream cheese frosting:

½ cup margarine

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 box confectioners' sugar, sifted

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans/walnuts/sliced almonds

Directions

For the Red Velvet Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 round layer cake pans. Sift flour, baking soda and coco together. Beat sugar and eggs together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together oil, vinegar, food coloring, and vanilla. Add to the bowl of eggs and sugar and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the wet mixture by alternating the buttermilk and dry ingredients. Always start with the flour and end with the flour. Pour batter into pans. Tap them on the table to level out the batter and release air bubbles. Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the middle comes out clean but be careful not to over bake or you'll end up with a dry cake. Let layers cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning out of pan. Cool completely before frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting:

Soften margarine and cream cheese to room temperature. Cream well. Add sugar and beat until mixed but not so much that the frosting becomes "loose". Add vanilla and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Classic Crème Caramel

Classic Crème Caramel

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the caramel

160 gms sugar

6 tablespoons water

unsalted butter to grease the ramekins (6 moulds) or one single 1.2 litre ovenproof dish

For the custard

1 can Nestle Condensed milk (395 gms)

3 eggs

800 ml full fat milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

Directions

Pre-heat oven 150C/300F/Gas 2. Warm the ramekins in the oven, so they are warm when the caramel is poured in.

First make the caramel. Pour the sugar and six tablespoons of water into a stainless steel pan and boil until the sugar turns a dark copper colour. Remove immediately from the heat to ensure the caramel does not burn. Quickly pour the caramel into the warmed ramekins. Set aside to cool at room temperature and become hard. Once hard, butter the sides of the ramekins above the level of the caramel.

For the custard, in a bowl whisk the eggs well, add condensed milk and vanilla extract and whisk again until well mixed. Pour the milk into a saucepan, gently heat over a low heat until you can still just dip your finger in for a moment, pour onto the egg mixture in the bowl. Then strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Stand the ramekins in a baking pan and fill the tin half-way with boiling water from a kettle. Cook in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the custard has set. Do not overcook the custard – check around the edges of the dishes, to make sure no bubbles are appearing. Take the crème caramels out of the oven, remove the ramekins from the tray and set on a cooling rack. When cool, transfer to the fridge overnight so that the caramel is absorbed into the custard. To serve, loosen the sides of the custard by tipping the ramekin and loosen with a small palette knife round the edges. Place a serving dish on top of the ramekin and turn upside down.

If you prefer, the recipe can be made in a 1.2 litre (2 pint) dish and cooked for 40-50 minutes.

Stuffed Squids

Stuffed Squids

Ingredients

10 medium sized squids

4 large red onions

4 large tomatoes, chopped finely

6 flakes garlic

1 green chillie, deseeded

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

½ tsp cumin powder

200 gms pack of strained tomatoes, or tomato puree

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 cup soya granules soaked (you can also substitute it with 1 cup of bulgur or 1 cup of cooked rice)

2 tbsp chopped walnuts or pine nuts

½ cup or more olive oil or canola oil

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 tbsp cooking cream for garnishing (optional)

salt to taste

10 toothpicks for sealing the squids

Directions

Soak the soya granules in water for 15 minutes. When they have hydrated, squeeze the water out and keep aside. Clean squids or better still ask your fishmonger to do it. Take off the wings and tentacles and rinse them well. Clean the squid tubes and rinse them. Chop the tentacles and the wings finely. Chop the onions, green chillie and garlic finely (I did it in a food processor). Heat half the oil in a pan and sauté half the chopped onion garlic mixture until well browned. Add soya granules and continue to sauté. Add half of the cumin, pepper and red chilli powder and stir for a few seconds. Add the chopped squid tentacles, chopped nuts and half of the bouillon cube and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add half of the chopped tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes melt and the squids are cooked and filling is a bit dry. Check seasoning and turn off the heat. Let the filling cool.

Stuff each squid with the filling leaving a bit of space enough to seal. Secure the opening of each squid with a toothpick. In a pan heat the remaining oil and add each squid to the pan. Fry on both sides for 3-4 minutes. Remove the fried squids and add the remaining onions and garlic mixture to the same pan and sauté till well browned. Add the remaining spices and bouillon cube and stir. Then add the remaining chopped tomatoes and sauté till tomatoes melt. Add tomato puree and salt to taste and stir. Add a cup of water, stir and return the squids to the pan. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Turn the squids over gently in the pan and simmer for another five minutes. The gravy should thicken a bit by now. Turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Remove the toothpicks gently and discard them. Transfer the squids to a serving dish and pour the gravy on top. Garnish with cream.

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

½ cup dark chocolate, grated (plus 2 tbsp grated chocolate for garnishing)

2 tbsp cocoa powder

3 eggs

2 cups whole milk

½ tsp vanilla essence

2 tsp unflavored gelatin

16 tsp granulated sugar

whipped cream for decoration

Directions

Break eggs into a bowl and whisk well. Add milk and sugar and mix. Cook in a double boiler till the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. When the egg mixture thickens, add vanilla essence and mix. Dissolve gelatin in about 2 tbsp of warm water. Add gelatin, cocoa powder and dark grated chocolate to the egg mixture and mix well. Strain the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool. Pour into 4 or six individual bowls and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or until set. To serve: garnish with whipped cream and the remaining grated chocolate.

Serves 4-6

Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

150 gms all-purpose flour

150 gms unsalted butter, softened

150 gms granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp coffee granules dissolved in 2 tbsp of boiling water

50 gms walnuts, roughly chopped

For the icing:

250 gms Mascarpone or Cream Cheese

100 gms butter, softened

220 gms icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbsp of boiling water

For caramel walnuts: (This is optional)

8 – 10 walnuts

3 tbsp white granulated sugar

2 tbsp water

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease two 20 cm cake tins and line the bases with baking paper. With the help of an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until white and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder and mix with the butter and sugar. Add the coffee and walnuts and fold into the cake mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tins and smooth over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

For the icing: Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and icing sugar and beat again. Add the coffee and beat until well combined.

For the caramel walnuts: Simmer sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved (do not stir at any point) and it starts to turn an amber colour. Have a lightly oiled plate ready and coat the walnuts in the caramel, one by one, using two forks. Once coated, place the caramel walnuts on the oiled plate and allow to cool.

Place one cake on the cake stand. Spread about 1/3 rd of the icing on the cake. Place the second cake gently on top of the icing. Spoon the remaining icing over the cake and on the sides and smoothen with a palette knife. Decorate with the caramel walnuts. Serve with a coffee. Enjoy!

Penne Pasta with Bacon

Penne Pasta with Bacon

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped

4 cups Penne pasta, cooked till al dente

6 tbsp cooking cream
1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a pan fry the bacon until brown and crispy. Add the cooked pasta, olive oil and mix well. Add cooking cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Bacon and Corn Breakfast Puffs

Bacon and Corn Breakfast Puffs

Ingredients

4 slices of bacon, chopped into bits

1 package frozen puff pastry squares (preferable Sunbullah Puff Pastry), thawed according to package instructions

1 cup whole milk

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup tinned corn kernels

1 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F and position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.

In a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until brown and crispy, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

In a large bowl, combine milk, beaten eggs, salt, pepper in a medium-size bowl. Spray the muffin tray with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. Place each square into each muffin round gently, so that the dough extends slightly over the top of the muffin tin. Divide the bacon and corn between each of the cups and fill them with the egg custard just to the top of the cup line. Fold each overlapping corner of each square over top of the filling to enclose it. You can bake the quiches immediately or freeze and bake them later.

Pop the quiches into the oven and bake about 20 minutes, switching the position of the tins halfway through baking, until the filling is puffed and the crust is golden brown.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

6 medium sized bell peppers

1 cup cooked rice

400 gms chicken mince

2 tbsp crushed peanuts

1 spring onion/scallion chopped finely

1 tsp red chilli flakes

½ tsp black pepper powder

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

a handful of chopped parsley

4 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven at 180 deg C. Cut the bell peppers in half and carefully take out the seeds and some of the membrane and discard. Brush the bell peppers with olive oil and a little salt. Grill them in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the peppers are tender but not limp. Remove from the oven and set aside. Meanwhile, heat about 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Add the white part of the spring onions and sauté till translucent. Add chicken mince and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the bouillon cube, red chilli flakes and pepper powder. Cook until the chicken mince is done. Add the rice and mix. Check seasoning and add salt as per taste.  Add the green part of the spring onion, peanuts and parsley and mix. Turn off the heat. When the filling is slightly cool, stuff the peppers. Top with grated mozzarella cheese and return to oven to bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese browns on top.

Spicy Prawn Pilaf

Spicy Prawn Pilaf

Ingredients

2 cups prawns, cleaned and deveined

2 cups basmati rice, washed and drained well

4 cups lukewarm water (same measurement as the rice)

2 medium sized red onions finely chopped

2 large tomatoes finely chopped

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder (I prefer Mother’s Recipe Garam Masala)

½ tsp turmeric

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 vegetable bouillon cube

salt to taste

½ cup cooking oil

a handful of chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

For tempering:

2 bay leaves

1 star anise

4-5 black pepper corns

2-3 cloves

4-5 cardamoms

1 stick cinnamon

Directions

In a deep dish heat oil and add the spices for tempering for 2-3 seconds. Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent. Reduce heat and add the powdered spices and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and fry until they have melted. Add prawns, bouillon cube and mix well. Add the drained rice and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add 4 cups of lukewarm water and salt (check seasoning as the bouillon cube has salt). Reduce heat completely and cover the dish with lid. Cook until all the water has been absorbed. To serve, gently mix the rice well and garnish with a handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients

Crust

7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (about 32 small cookies)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons milk

Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

Pinch of salt

2 ½ cups milk

2 large eggs

4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate

Topping

½ cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate curls for garnish (see Tip)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

To prepare crust: Process chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Add melted butter and milk; pulse until combined. Using your hands, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

To prepare filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk milk and eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk into the sugar mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Cook, stirring vigorously, for 2 minutes more. Strain through a sieve into a large bowl. Whisk in chocolate until completely melted.

Pour the filling into the crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

To prepare topping & decorate pie: Just before serving, beat cream and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Smooth any lines on the pie’s surface with the back of a spoon. Spoon or pipe (with a pastry bag) 10 dollops of whipped cream around the edge of the pie. (You can also use a ready whipping cream spray can). Garnish with chocolate curls or with grated chocolate (as in my case).

For chocolate curls: soften a block of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate just a tad: microwave on 20% power (Low) in 15-second bursts until just barely softened, not warm. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate into curls.

Lamb Shanks

Lamb Shanks

"Lamb shanks are expensive cuts of meat and I needed a dish on the menu that would tantalize our taste buds this Easter. The meat on the lamb shanks is so tender that it just falls off the bone. It takes time since its slow cooked, but definitely worth the wait". 

Ingredients

4 medium lamb shanks

1 large white onion sliced

2 large tomatoes, cut in 4 pieces

1 carrot diced roughly

4 garlic cloves peeled and diced

2 bay leaves

8-10 whole black peppercorns

5-6 whole cardamoms

4 whole cloves

2 whole dry red chilies

4 dried apricots

4 prunes

2 tsp black pepper powder

2 cups vegetable stock

salt to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Rub some salt and pepper to the lamb shanks. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the lamb shanks for 5 minutes until it’s browned on all sides. Place them in a Dutch oven or slow cooker. If you don’t have one (as in my case), place it in a roasting oven proof pan. Combine all the vegetables and spices in the roasting pan and pour the stock over the shanks and vegetables. Cover with a foil and roast in a 180 deg C oven for 2 – 2 ½ hours or until the meat starts to fall off the bone. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, remove foil and let the meat roast on open flame till it gets a brown coating on top. The vegetables will have softened completely. Remove from oven and let the shanks rest for 10 minutes. To serve: place lamb shanks on a serving plate and pour the gravy on top accompanied with some mash or roasted vegetables of your choice or along with slices of baguette bread. 

Sorpotel

Sorpotel

"This is traditional East Indian recipe and is prepared a day or two before Christmas, Easter or weddings. It is spicy and tangy and can be stored in the refrigerator for days as the vinegar content kind of pickles the meat. It is served as an accompaniment with other dishes or can be simply eaten along with a glass of wine or beer, It may be a bit tedious to prepare but worth every bite".

Ingredients

1 kg Pork

¼ kg pork liver

2 ears of pork (optional)

4 tbsp East Indian Bottle Masala*

2 tbsp vinegar

salt to taste

To be cut in juliennes:

2 pods garlic

2” ginger

5 green chilies

Directions

Wash pork, liver and ears. Boil them separately with a little salt (as each will cook at a different speed). When the water has dried up, set them aside to cool. Cut the meat into small cubes, about an inch thick. In a pan heat oil and fry the finely julienned ginger, garlic and green chillies. Remove and keep aside. Add the cubed meat along with bottle masala and fry the meat in batches. Add vinegar and salt to taste. Finally add the ginger garlic mixture and mix well. simmer on low heat for a few minutes.

*If you don’t have East Indian Bottle Masala, you can substitute it with, 2 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder and 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer

Ingredients

500 gms Spinach (Palak), washed

250 gms Cottage cheese (Paneer) cubed

2 green chilies

2 tbsp garlic, crushed with a garlic crusher

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

¼ tsp red chili powder

4 tbsp oil

2 tbsp fresh cream, whisked

salt to taste

Directions

Discard the stems of the washed spinach and blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and place spinach in cold water. Drain after 2 minutes and grind the spinach in a blender along with green chillies. Heat oil in a deep dish and add cumin seeds. When they start to crackle add garlic and sauté till light brown. Add turmeric powder and coriander powder and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the spinach puree and cook for about 5 minutes. Add red chili powder, cottage cheese and salt to taste. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the whisked cream, stir and remove from heat after 1-2 minutes.

Cheesecake Brownies

Cheesecake Brownies

"With all the preparations for this Easter Sunday, I needed a quick but decadent dessert to satisfy our sweet cravings after the sumptuous Easter lunch, but not overly indulge. This dessert was the perfect choice".

Ingredients

100 gms butter, chopped

150 gms dark chocolate, chopped

1 egg

150 gms castor sugar

110 gms plain flour

35 gms self-raising flour

Cheesecake topping:

250 gms cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

75 gms castor sugar

125 ml double cream

1 egg

2 tbsp flaked almonds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 20 cm square cake pan, line the base and sides with baking paper. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Beat the egg and sugar in a bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Gradually stir in the chocolate mixture and the sifted flours. Spread the mixture into the baking pan and bake in a moderate oven for about 10 minutes or until just firm to touch. Leave aside to cool and start on the topping.

For the Cheesecake topping: Beat cream cheese, vanilla extract and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add cream and beat until thick. Add the egg and beat until just combined. Pour cheesecake topping on to the brownie base and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Cool and refrigerate for 2 hour or until completely chilled. Cut into rectangles and serve.

Baked Eggplants

Baked Eggplants

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants

 2 cloves of garlic, crushed with a garlic crusher

 ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

 2 spring onions/scallions, chopped finely

 ½ cup fresh parsley, washed and chopped

 4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp white vinegar

½ tsp black pepper powder

 Salt to taste

Topping

¾ cup Breadcrumbs

 4 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

 ½ teaspoon dried Oregano

 Salt and Pepper

 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C/365 degrees F. Wash the eggplants, and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut 6 slits cross ways in each eggplant half, taking care not to cut all the way through the skin at the bottom. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30-45 minutes in the oven or until the flesh of the eggplant pierces easily with a fork.

Remove and let it cool. Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant taking care not to break the cases. Keep the casings aside and prepare the stuffing. In a bowl mash the scooped flesh of the eggplants. Add grated mozzarella, scallions, pepper powder, garlic, red chili flakes, brown sugar, vinegar and salt to taste. Stuff this mixture in each eggplant. In a bowl mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Top each eggplant with the breadcrumb mixture. Drizzle olive oil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes till breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

1 head Green Cabbage

2 quarts Water

1 large onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic crusher

½ tsp red chili powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 pack (500 gms) strained crushed tomatoes (I prefer Pomi Strained Crushed tomatoes)

4 tbsp tomato paste

¼ cup olive oil

1 beef bouillon cube

1 tbsp white vinegar

Salt to taste

¼ cup chopped parsley to garnish

For the filling

1 pound minced Beef

1 cup cooked Rice

1 small onion chopped finely

¼ tsp black pepper powder

2 eggs, beaten

salt to taste

Directions

Using a paring knife, remove the center core of the cabbage. In a large stockpot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until outer leaves are bright green and tender. You can either pull the leaves off as they cook or you can take the whole cabbage head out. Count the leaves. I got about 14 leaves. Reserve 1 cup of cabbage cooking water. Separate all of the leaves from the head and trim the thick center vein from bottom of each leaf. Don’t cut it out, just shave it so it’s thin like the rest of the leaf.

In a large bowl, combine raw ground beef, 1 chopped onion, cooked rice, eggs, salt, pepper, and about a tbsp of chopped parsley. Mix gently to combine. Make 14 portions or divide according to how many leaves you have. Add a portion of the rice filling to one cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the cabbage over the filling, and, starting with the stem end, roll the cabbage up. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté. When the onion is translucent add red chili powder and stir. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir the sauce for 3-4 minutes. Add black pepper powder, salt, brown sugar and beef bouillon cube to the sauce and mix gently. Add some of the reserved cabbage water to the sauce, vinegar and some parsley. Place each cabbage roll gently into the sauce, immersing them. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes until the cabbage is tender, beef is cooked and sauce has thickened. Check seasoning. To serve, place cabbage rolls in a serving dish and pour sauce over them. Garnish with remaining parsley.

Grilled Salmon

Grilled Salmon

Ingredients

4 Salmon fillets

2 tbs olive oil

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper or red chili powder

¼ tsp ginger powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

Juice of one lemon

¼ cup fresh parsley - chopped

Directions

Pre-heat an oven grill at 180 deg C. Season the salmon with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, ginger and garlic powder and 1 tbsp of olive oil. In a skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil and place the skin side of the salmon. Let the skin crisp up a bit. Transfer the pieces of fish on to an oven tray and grill for 8-10 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and transfer on to a serving place. Heat the same skillet in which you fried the salmon, add parsley and stir for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir. Pour the juices with parsley on the grilled fish. Serve with some green salad.

Lasagne

Lasagne

Ingredients

10 sheets of no-boil lasagna noodles (I prefer Barilla Lasagne Noodles)

For the ragout sauce:

400 gms minced beef

40 gms chopped onions

100 gms grated carrot

40 gms chopped celery

1 can strained crushed tomatoes

400 ml water

4 tbsp olive oil

80 gms grated Parmesan cheese

1 bay leaf

1 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

For the béchamel sauce:

900 ml of milk

50 gms butter

50 gms flour

¼ tsp ground Nutmeg

salt to taste

Directions

In a pan heat some olive oil and add bay leaf. Add the onions and fry well. Add celery and carrot and fry for a few minutes. Add minced meat and fry till brown. Add the paprika. Add the tomato paste and water and season with salt and pepper. Add some water and cook for about 20 minutes till meat is cooked. Keep aside.

In a saucepan, melt butter and add flour, whisk and add milk. Keep whisking while bringing the sauce to a boil. Add nutmeg and salt.

Grease an oven proof dish and spread a ladleful of béchamel sauce and some of the ragout sauce. Layer some sheets of the lasagna. Then pour some béchamel sauce and some ragout sauce. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese. Continue with the layers until you have used up all the sheets and the last layer must be of béchamel and sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.