Week 2 Your Cookalong food questions answered - week 2

Week 2 menu

Date Published:

13/10/2008

Our cookery expert answers all your questions about the menu for Cookalong Live - week 2.

You’ll need a medium-sized, shallow ovenproof dish for the lasagne. Around 2l/3½ pints should be about right – pour water from a measuring jug into your dish to work out the capacity. It will need to be rectangle or square in shape as you’ll need to fit the lasagne sheets pretty snugly to hold the separate layers.

Non-cook lasagne is also known as no pre-cook lasagne and is sold as dried pasta sheets that can be used straight from the pack without any additional preparation. You’ll find it with the other pastas in the supermarket or deli – the packet will indicate whether the lasagne needs soaking or cooking before use. Sizes do differ, but one pack should easily see you through this week’s Cookalong and you’re bound to have loads left for when you make it again. If you can’t get it, you’ll need to pre-cook your pasta sheets yourself by blanching them in boiling water before the show starts.

Tomatoes are an essential part of this recipe, but if you still fancy making a lasagne you could try using chicken and mushrooms instead. Try doubling the cheese sauce mixture then pour two thirds of it into a large bowl. Stir in some chopped cooked chicken and lightly fried mushrooms – cook the mushrooms while Gordon fries his beef. Layer the chicken and mushroom sauce, pasta and some sautéed spinach twice in your dish, then finish with the remaining cheese sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan. Bake until golden brown and bubbling.

Why not try frying a selection of colourful vegetables instead of the mince? Small chunks of red and yellow pepper, sliced courgettes and diced aubergine would all work well. Fry with the onion in step 1 – you’ll need to add a little extra oil as the aubergine will soak it up like a sponge. Leave out the Worcestershire sauce, as it contains anchovies, and choose cheeses that are suitable for vegetarians

Print out the ingredients listed by course - this will make it easy to see which ingredients are needed for which recipe.

Yes absolutely. Simply leave the bacon out and then add a heaped teaspoon of vegetable bouillon (stock) powder or half a good quality chicken stock cube with the boiling water in step 4.

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