Ingredients
- One portion of chicken casserole
- 10-12 sheets of lasagne
- 2 tablespoons of céme fraiche
- One red pepper, chopped
- 1 courgette, chopped
- ½ a red onion, chopped finely
- 1 small aubergine, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
White Sauce
- 350ml (1 pint) milk
- 1 white onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 6 black peppercorns
- 55g (2oz) of butter
- 55g (2 oz) of plain flour
- 25g (1oz) of Parmesan cheese
- 85g (3oz) grated cheddar cheese
• Pre-heat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 4)
• For the sauce, pierce the white onion with the cloves, peppercorns and the bay leaf and place in a pan with the milk. Bring it to the boil and then remove it from the heat for 20 minutes.
• Heat some olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat and gently cook the pepper, red onion, courgette, aubergine and garlic for approximately 10 minutes until the courgette is lightly browned and the vegetables are soft.
• Re-heat the chicken casserole slowly in a large pan on a moderate heat for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring to a minimum in order to prevent the chicken breaking up too much.
• When it is completely heated stir in the créme fraiche until it is combined with the casserole. Leave to simmer uncovered as this will cause it to thicken.
• To continue making the white sauce, strain the milk into a jug, discarding the pepper, onion, cloves and the bay leaf.
• Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, allowing it to cook for 5 minutes. When the butter and flour are combined, slowly add the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth.
• Continue adding the milk and stirring until the sauce has thickened. Cook for a further 15 minutes to allow the flour to cook completely.
• Turn the pan to a low heat and using an electric whisk or hand blender, mix in the cheese until it is melted.
• Using a small sieve or spoon with holes in, remove some of the chicken, leeks and mushrooms and spoon into the lasagne dish to form a thick layer. You want to add a little of the casserole sauce but not too much as it may become too runny.
• Add a single layer of lasagne sheets and then top with some more of the chicken and pancetta and the Mediterranean vegetables. Add another layer of the lasagne and finally pour the cheese sauce over. Cover with the grated cheese.
• Bake in the oven for approximately 50 minutes until the cheese is golden and the centre is cooked.
