This dish was fairly simple to make, and a huge hit with the family. We have discovered that for us, a gluten free diet has major health benefits, so I am trying to cut out unnecessary wheat wherever I can. I will walk you through the three different elements below:
Bolognese
500g(1 lb) of mince
1/4 cup of red wine
2 cups of beef stock
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 large carrots, grated
6 button mushrooms, chopped
2 tins of crushed tomatoes
1 tin of tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon of vegemite ( it's fine without it if you don't have it handy!)
- In a large pot, brown off onion and garlic with a spoonful of oil.
- Add mince and break up with a spoon until it begins to color.
- Throw in the red wine
- Add in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Add the beef stock, stir well until all combined.
- add carrots, mushrooms and vegemite
- Throw in the basil, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
Once all of your ingredients are combined turn the heat down to low, and simmer for a couple of hrs. I tend to put it on at lunchtime, and just occasionally check it until the flavor has matured. When i make it, this tends to be enough for a few meals. If you want to sneak more veggies in for fussy eaters, i grate in broccoli, zucchini and whatever else i can get my hands on!
Cheese Sauce
60g (2oz) Butter
60g (2oz) Plain Flour
3 cups of Low Fat Milk
3/4 cup Grated Cheese
- Combine the butter and plain flour to form a roux. when it begins to brown, it's ready.
- slowly combine milk, little at a time, stir until it begins to thicken before adding more milk.
- once the cheese sauce has reached the consistency that you want, take it off the heat and add in cheese.
If you need to make more, just add more milk as you are combining. The trick with this is to never stop stirring it. I use a whisk to ensure that there isn't any lumps. If you add the milk little by little, the sauce will thicken up quicker. If when you have added the cheese, you feel there isn't enough flavor, just add a little salt. Salt tends to bring out the flavor of the cheese without needing to add more!
Eggplant
1 large eggplant
Salt
- slice eggplant about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick
- lay out on a tray lined with baking paper
- sprinkling salt on each slice will cut the bitterness of the seeds
- place into a moderate oven of 180C (350F) for about 10 mins, or until it begins to brown
Then assemble! each layer has a large spoonful of bolognese, and a spoonful of cheese sauce! i wouldn't recommend stacking higher then 4 slices, as it is more filling then it looks! enjoy!
