Baked Layered Seafood Pasta

BAKED LAYERED PASTA & SEA FOOD (4 Portions)

Ingredients
200 gm           Cooked Pasta Sheets
400 ml            Tomato Sauce (see recipe)
400 ml            Bechamel Sauce (see recipe)
100 gm           Mushrooms, roughly cut
40 gm             Powdered Parmesan Cheese
200 gm           Grated Mozzarella Cheese (if not Cheddar Cheese)
03 tbsp           Chopped Onion
02 tbsp           Chopped Garlic
03 tbsp           Chopped Parsley
150 gm           Peeled Shrimps
150 gm           Cuttle Fish Cubes
100 gm           Fish Fillet Cubes
To taste          Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
03 tbsp           Oil
01 tbsp           Butter

Method
-    Toss the seafood lightly in very hot oil and keep aside.
-    Sauté onion, garlic, mushroom, add to the seafood and let it cool down.
-    Combine all with 2/3 of the béchamel sauce, add salt & pepper to taste and then mix with chopped parsley.
-    Grease a deep, ovenproof baking dish with butter and place the cooked pasta sheet on the bottom.
-    Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce and then with seafood mixed sauce.
-    With the béchamel sauce and then another thin layer of tomato
-    Sprinkle a good amount of grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top and then the pasta sheet.
-    Continue until all the ingredients are used up (at least you should have a minimum of 3 layers of all ingredients) and top up with the balance béchamel & cheese.
-    Bake in a moderate oven at 180 °C or gas mark 4 for 15 minutes covered with a foil and another 15 minutes open until a light golden crust has formed on top.
-    Serve straight from the oven.

THICK BECHAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients
50 gm             Butter or Margarine
50 gm             Flour
500 ml             Milk
To taste          Salt & Pepper


Method
-    Melt the butter in a thick bottom pan.
-    Add the flour and mix in.
-    Cook over gently ~eat with colouring.
-    Gradually add the warmed milk and stir with a whisk till smooth.
-    Allow to simmer (on low heat) for about 8-10 minutes until the raw taste of the flour is completely disappeared, stirring on and off and correct the seasoning.
-    Pass through a conical strainer.    '
-    Cover with a film or a glob of butter to prevent forming of a skin.

COARSE TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients
500 gm          Tomato, peeled & cubed
02 tbsp          Olive Oil
03 tsp            Chopped Onion
02 tsp            Chopped Garlic
03 nos            Bay Leaves
01 tbsp          Tomato Paste
A dash of        Oregano (optional)
03 Leaves       Fresh Basil (roughly cut)
To taste         Salt & Pepper

Method
-    Sauté onion, garlic till light golden brown and add bay leaves.
-    Add tomato paste, cook for a minute and add the fresh tomatoes.
-    Cook over low heat for about 7 minutes.
-    Perfume with oregano, fresh basil & cold olive oil.
-    Season with salt & pepper.