With Burns Night on Saturday, January 25, one of the borough’s supermarkets is offering a recipe giving a Scottish twist on an Italian staple.
Burns Night is a celebration of the poet Rabbie Burns. Traditional events include speeches, dancing and eating haggis, neeps and tatties.
Now haggis are native to Scotland and notoriously difficult to catch.
However, Aldi – which has branches in Wokingham town centre and at Earley’s Suttons Business Park – has managed to locate a supply.
To celebrate, it has created a twist on a traditional lasagne, using Aldi’s haggis (£1.49, 454g). The haggis are on sale while stocks last.
Aldi’s Haggis is made using lamb, beef, oats and spices, and traditionally prepared and eaten on Burns Night as the national dish of Scotland.
This Scottish delight can be served all year round and served with Neeps, Tatties and some Whisky sauce.
Alternatively, Haggis can be used as part of another dish such as baked potato or homemade Haggis Lasagne, substituting the beef mince for rich and peppery haggis.
Haggis Lasagne
- 1 packet of Haggis. Available to purchase in store at Aldi (£1.49, 454g)
- 1 large Onion
- 1 stick Celery
- 1 Red Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 400g tin Chopped Tomatoes
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Pesto
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 25g Tomato Purée
- 25ml Olive Oil
- 1 Beef Stock Cube
- 6 sheets Lasagne Pasta
- 50g Plain Flour
- 60g Butter
- 650ml Semi Skimmed Milk
- 100g Soft Cheese
- 1 tsp English Mustard
- 80g Grated Mature Cheddar Cheese
- Sea Salt, White and Black Pepper
- 1 oblong baking dish, approx. 30 x 20cm
Method
Peel, halve and finely chop the onion.
Peel and mince the garlic.
Wipe the celery and finely chop.
Finely chop the red pepper, discarding any pith or seeds.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
Add the onions, garlic, pepper and the celery.
Sauté for a few minutes, then add the haggis and brown.
Add the tinned tomatoes and crumble over the stock cube.
Add the pesto, paprika, tomato purée, oregano and season with some salt and plenty of black pepper.
Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes, without a lid, stirring occasionally.
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Meanwhile, make the white sauce. In a medium saucepan melt the butter.
Then add the flour and cook for a minute.
Add the milk, white pepper and the mustard.
Slowly bring to the boil, stirring as you cook.
Turn down the heat and cook for a couple of minutes, then whisk in the soft cheese until you have a smooth, thick sauce.
Put half the haggis in the bottom of the dish, then lay 3 slices of the pasta on top in a line.
Pour over half the white sauce.
Sprinkle over half the grated cheese.
Then repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until browned.
