Recipe: Lasagne Bites

A prime example in how hot fat makes most things more decadently delicious, levelling up a plain old supermarket staple into something worthy of serving at any soirée...

This is taken from our debut cookbook Hot Fat (Blasta Books #2, available to order from gastrogays.square.site, blastabooks.com and many book stores and independent outlets across Ireland and internationally)

We write: “Cookbooks can have this compulsion to instruct you to make everything from scratch, but sometimes convenience needs to be encouraged to get the job done. So be kind to yourself and take the easy route here. Pop into the supermarket and get your paws on the best ready-made lasagne you can find, then you’re going to create culinary magic by portioning it up, freezing it, coating it and deep-frying it.

Think mac ’n’ cheese bites, but better. Think oozy, creamy, rich lasagne but hand-held and crunchy. The ideal little bar snack, indulgent treat or crowd-pleasing canapé, we bet you never thought lasagne could be this lavish!”

Illustration © Nicky Hooper, the incredible series artist for Blasta Books, follow her on Instagram!

• 1 ready-made beef (or vegetarian) lasagne (about 400g)

• Sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 1 large egg

• 1 tbsp milk

• 50g panko breadcrumbs (or fine dried breadcrumbs)

• 10g freshly grated Parmesan, Grana Padano or Pecorino cheese

• Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1. Get your pre-made lasagne from the supermarket. Remove the cling film or other wrapping, but with the lasagne still in its foil tray, use a sharp knife to cut it into roughly 4cm squares, as if it’s a sort of traybake. A 400g lasagne will yield around six nuggets, while a larger one may get you eight to 10. Cover the tray with a sheet of cling film and place in the freezer for about 90 minutes to 2 hours to solidify a bit.

2. Heat the oil in your deep-fryer to 160°C.

3. Prepare your pané station: put your flour in one bowl. In another, whisk the egg and milk together. In a third, combine the breadcrumbs with the cheese and some freshly cracked black pepper. (You would sprinkle, grate or twist these over a finished pasta dish, right? So why not include them in the coating?)

4. Take the now semi-frozen lasagne out of the freezer and carefully remove the pre-cut cubes. One by one, place each lasagne bite into the flour, then into the egg, covering all six sides. Smother in the breadcrumbs and cheese, then return it into the egg, and again into the breadcrumbs. The double coating ensures there shouldn’t be any leaks.

5. Working in batches, gently lower into the fryer, shaking the basket slightly to ensure it doesn’t stick. Fry for 8–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your lasagne. If a little protrudes out of the top, don’t worry. You’ll have to turn them around about every 2 minutes to ensure even coverage.

6. Remove from the fryer and place on a wire rack set over a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Leave to stand for about 2 minutes, as they will still be molten inside! Season with a little flaky sea salt and black pepper on top before serving.

We’ve also filmed this recipe for our TikTok, too