Mary Berry's 'cheat' lasagne hack that makes her recipe even more delicious

22 January 2024 , 15:59

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Mary Berry's lasagne has some unique tweaks (Image: BBC/Rumpus Media/Mark Mainz)

Mary Berry's recipe for lasagne is 'creamy and delicious' and incorporates a simple hack to make cooking easier with an added twist on the normal ingredients.

If you're looking for a comforting and mouth-watering dish that all the family can enjoy on a cold winter's night, Mary Berry's alternative lasagne could be the one for you. It's still wonderfully cheesy and hearty but she gives it a couple of unique tweaks that may surprise you.

TV star Mary "cheats" with the white sauce, doesn't use mince, alters the way she builds the dish and shares a tip for guaranteeing the pasta sheets will be soft and properly cooked every time.

"I've cheated with the white sauce and made a creamy sauce for the filling instead," she reveals. "There are fewer layers than a traditional lasagne but it's still creamy and delicious."

She advises soaking the lasagne sheets for a few minutes before using them and instead of beef or pork mince, she uses boneless chicken thighs. The finished recipe, from her book Cook and Share, is certain to satisfy those hungry mouths. "A wonderful dish for all the family," she states. "Make a couple of these when hungry teenagers are at home!"

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The dish can be prepared up to six hours before serving and will also freeze well uncooked so you can store for use during the weekend when time is at a premium or for a dinner party.

Lasagne is a delicious and hearty dish perfect for all the family (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Here are the ingredients you will need (serves 6-8):

• 6 sheets of fresh lasagne
• 150g (5oz) Cheddar, grated
• For the chicken, spinach and mushroom mixture:
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g (1lb 2oz) skinless and boneless chicken thighs, diced
• 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g (7oz) button mushrooms, sliced
• 200g (7oz) baby spinach
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 200g (7oz) creme fraiche
• For the tomato and herb sauce:
• 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

Here's how to make Mary Berry's lasagne:

You'll need a shallow 1.8 litre ovenproof dish to cook the lasagne in. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. To make the chicken mixture, heat the oil in a frying pan on a high heat and fry the chicken thighs until golden but not cooked.

Next add in the chilli, garlic and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes, then add in the spinach until wilted. Put the cornflour into a small bowl and stir in two tablespoons of water until it's smooth. Add the crème fraiche and parsley to the chicken, stir and add in the cornflour mix. Mix until thickened and put to one side.

To make the sauce, put the tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste and thyme into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. In a shallow dish, soak the lasagne sheets in boiling water for a few minutes.

To build the dish, spoon a third of the chicken mix into the oven dish and cover with a third of the sauce. Place three layers of lasagne sheets on top and repeat the process again. Finish with a last layer of chicken and tomato sauce and sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden. Serve with salad or green vegetables.

Will you try Mary's lasagne? Let us know in the comments below.

Beth Hardie