Authentic Azerbaijani Meat Lasagna with Hearth-Melted Village Cheese

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Authentic Azerbaijani Meat Lasagna:

1. Prepare the dough by combining 500 g of flour, eggs, water, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic, then cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the meat filling by sautéing finely minced onions in sunflower oil until golden brown.
3. Add the ground beef to the onions, breaking it apart and cooking until browned.
4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, turmeric, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer on low heat until the juices have reduced into a thick sauce.
5. Make the bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a pan, whisking in 100 g of flour to create a roux, and gradually pouring in the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened.
6. Divide the rested dough into equal portions and roll each out on a floured surface into very thin sheets.
7. Cut the dough sheets into rectangles that fit your baking tray.
8. To assemble, spread a thin layer of bechamel at the bottom of the baking tray. Add a layer of dough sheets, followed by a layer of the meat mixture and more bechamel.
9. Repeat the layering process until all ingredients are used, ending with a layer of dough and a generous coating of bechamel.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes or until the top is set.
11. Secure the whole traditional cheese onto a hanging apparatus over a gentle fire or charcoal grill.
12. As the cheese begins to soften and melt from the heat, use a knife to scrape the molten cheese directly onto the surface of the baked lasagna before serving.