Thursday,02nd April 2009

Italy meets Asia: The Pineapple Lasagne

I think, spring is coming. It looks like and the weather people say so.
What does it mean to me? Besides all the other things, it inspires me to change my winter cooking behaviour. I increase the part of salad, vegetables and fruits of my dishes which dominates usually my summer food program.
As the asparagus season has only just started, the wild garlic tries to awake to life (at least here in my part of the country) and the strawberries are still hiding in the depth of the soil, I switch my attention to a fruit which stays for me as the symbol of summer, sun, beach and good temper – the pineapple. Used either in the famous Pina Colada, in jams, fruit salads or in different main courses and desserts, this fruit is always a highlight.
Summer, slowly the dream seems to be near. And immediately I remember the South, the sun, Italy which is not so far from us and the different kind of dishes there, like spaghetti, pizza, lasagne….and I think it will be a good idea to start in the spring with the creation of a lasagne, but not the normal one, no, we are going to make a pineapple lasagne with a touch of Asian temper.
Let´s do it now!

Ingredients:

Zubereitung:

1. Heat oil in a wok.
2. Add mincemeat and stir-fry. Stir until there are no lumps left.
3. Add currypaste and stir.
4. Cut pineapple into bite-sized pieces and add it into the wok.
5. Add pineapple juice, coconut milk, yellow curry, lemongrass powder, curcuma, sugar and ginger and mix it.
6. Let it simmer for about 20 min (medium heat).
7. Grease an oven proof dish. Layer the ingredients repeatedly, starting with the meat-pineapple-sauce, then the lasagne. The last layer is the pineapple-meat-mixture. Then sprinkle cheese on top.
8. Bake lasagne for about 20 bis 30 min. (180°C convection oven) until brown.