Culinary Tip of the Week: Pasta
Lahkchak
(Afghani Lasagna)

1 recipe plain pasta dough, rolled out into thin pasta sheets

LAMB SAUCE:

2 TBS olive oil
1 cup onion, cut into small cubes
¾ lb. ground lamb
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup canned plum tomatoes with juice, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and caramelized.  Add the lamb and cook until it just changes color.  Drain off the excess oil.  Add the spices and sauté 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes along with their juices.  Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

YOGURT SAUCE:

2 cups Lebany yogurt spread, or homemade yogurt “cheese”
1½ TBS minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
2 TBS finely chopped cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

LEEK FILLING:

3 TBS olive oil
4 cups leeks, cleaned well and chopped ¼ inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a sauté pan and add the oil.  When hot, add the leeks, reduce the heat, and sauté until soft and slightly caramelized, season to taste.

To assemble: 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta sheets to al dente and shock with ice water to stop the cooking process. Trim the sheets to fit in a loaf pan.

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

Spread a small amount of the yogurt filling directly on the bottom of the loaf pan. Place one sheet of pasta on filling.  Spread some of the lamb filling on the pasta and cover with more pasta.  Spread on the leek filling; cover with pasta and spread with the yogurt.  Continue in this fashion until the entire filling is used, ending with a pasta sheet.  Brush lightly with olive oil cover with foil and bake until warmed through.

Cut into thin portions and fan out on individual plates.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs.