Lasagne... (Help!)

[hidufel]

OK i'm reaching into my inner garfield here, and can stand the craving for some good lasagne no more!

I want to make some Lasagne. SHare with me your recipes and methods. What makes a good lasagne, and how easy is it to make...


FOr the record, this is gotta be a meaty one, veggie lasagne just never cut it in my book...

[TinSoldier]

I'll let the real cooks reply, plus my recipes are at home, but the few times I've done home-made lasagna it's been relatively easy.

[silverwhisper]

my wife has found that half-boiling your lasagne noodles yields a lasagne that tends to hold its shape better--the noodles will absorb moisture from the sauce.

[hidufel]

Sounds like a pefect tip!

now for the rest of the dish...

[Hitcher]

Here's a little trick - mix your ricotta into your meat sauce just before you start assembling your lasagna - it gives you a creamer lasagna.

[silverwhisper]

we use a classic meat sauce (1 lb ground beef, 1 16.x oz can of tomatoes). i find that one package of mozzarella and one container of ricotta do the job nicely for most lasagne dishes (9" x 12"?).

start water for noodles. remember to add some salt. ideally, you should achieve the same saltiness as the ocean.

shred mozzarella. all of it. you'll thank me later.

make sauce and pre-heat oven. 350, i think.

make pasta and have large flat surface covered w/ wax paper upon which they can drain and rest when halfway done (will bend but not flop completely).

use the sauce to provide a little insulation for the rest, and so that the lasagne will lift from the bottom of the pan. add your first layer of noodles, overlapping slightly at rippled edges. add sauce & cheese (both ricotta in dollops and the mozzarella), then add second layer. for some, rotating direction of noodles by 90 degrees works well. me, i don't like it but i'm retentive about some things. continue building layers until you're done.

bake (covered in foil) for what, i think 45 mins or so?

[BattleNymph]

I use fresh basil instead of spinach. Lots and lots! Makes it very savory indeed.

[silverwhisper]

you mean for your veggie lasagne? that sounds like it would be quite tasty, BN. :>

[Mouser]

I start with uncooked noodles, a really yummy sauce, and a lasagna pan.

Spoon sauce into the bottom of the pan to create a first layer.

Then noodles.

Then sauce.

Then noodles.

Then sauce.

Then cover and cook for 45 at 350.

share and enjoy.

[BattleNymph]

I start with uncooked noodles, a really yummy sauce, and a lasagna pan.

Spoon sauce into the bottom of the pan to create a first layer.

Then noodles.

Then sauce.

Then noodles.

Then sauce.

Then cover and cook for 45 at 350.

share and enjoy.
No cheese!!!!!!!?????????

[Mouser]

No cheese!!!!!!!?????????

Not in a meat lasagna.

<waves his yarmulke around>

Remember?

[silverwhisper]

i'll confess that while i normally am able to keep that in mind, i forgot this time, too.

[BattleNymph]

Not in a meat lasagna.

<waves his yarmulke around>

Remember?


I don't eat meat lasagna so you'll have to forgive me for forgetting. *pinches Mouser*

[BattleNymph]

you mean for your veggie lasagne? that sounds like it would be quite tasty, BN. :>

Yes, I do this for veggie lasagna, but the woman who I stole the idea from used it for both veggie and meat.

[Mouser]

I don't eat meat lasagna so you'll have to forgive me for forgetting. *pinches Mouser*

I use the same method for veggie lasgna, replacing the meat with ricotta, mozzerella, and parmesan that I add to the sauce just before it is spooned onto the lasagna, then topping with parmesan and mozzerella and sprinkling with parsley for color.

[marmalade]

Monster Meat Lasagna (9” x 13” pan)

56 oz tomato puree/sauce (2 big cans – Contadina preferred)
2 lb ground beef (round) or 1 lb Italian sausage links
2 cup diced yellow onion
8 oz mushrooms or green peppers, sliced (optional)
1+ Tb minced garlic
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
2 ts basil and/or oregano (or whatever else you like)
1 big bay leaf
½ ts black pepper
?? ts salt (depends on saltiness of canned tomatoes)

Fast Sauce: In a big pot, saute onions (+ mushrooms/peppers if using) in olive oil over med-high heat until translucent and starting to brown. Don’t walk away. Add minced garlic and herbs, and fry for another minute or so. Add tomatoes before the garlic burns, and stir it all together. Heat to a boil and then adjust to simmer. Meanwhile, brown your ground beef in another pan. Drain off most but not all of the fat, and add to the sauce. Simmer until you think it’s safe to eat. Add tomato paste or cook longer for a thicker sauce.

Sausage Sauce: Substitute 1 lb Italian sausage links for the ground beef. Half-cook the sausages before adding to the sauce to cut down on fat. Simmer the sauce for 2 hours. Do not use tomato products with added sugar for slow-cooked sauce. Add some sugar at the end if you like. Before assembling the lasagna, fish the sausage out of the sauce and slice ~ ¼ inch thick. Set aside.

Lasagna: Use a deep 9 x 13 pan.

16 ea lasagna noodles, undercooked (for 4 layers)
12 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated (divided)
8 oz grated mozzarella (low moisture) and/or provolone
2 big portobello mushroom caps (optional)

Undercook pasta, drain and submerge in ice water. Blot on clean kitchen towels before layering.
Mix ricotta, 6 oz. mozzarella, and ¾ cup parmesan. Some people add egg yolk.
Ladle some sauce into the bottom of the lasagna pan.
Cover with 4 overlapping lasagna noodles.
Follow with cheese >> sauce >> sausage slices (if using).
Repeat twice, and cover with 4 more noodles and some sauce.
Chop the mushrooms into finger-thick slices. Arrange on top of the lasagna.
Cover with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.

Cook at 375 oC until hot and bubbly, about 45 minutes, or an hour or more if the lasagna was refrigerated.

[Stephane]

I don't have a recipe in itself. I make it all by hand, I generally follow the recipe on the noodle box. Lasagna isn't a house recipe at home.

One thing that I've picked up from my mom is to use sliced eggplant instead of noodles. You slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Put them on paper towel. Salt them lightly to get rid of water. After most of the water is expulsed from the slices, you can use them to prepare the lasagna.

I really like it.

[BattleNymph]

That sounds really interesting Stephane! I'll have to try that.

[TinSoldier]

You know, I've made a recipe similar to enchiladas but instead of rolling them up I layer the corn tortillas like the pasta for lasagna. It's pretty good.

[Haze]

Why does everyone keep referring to lasagne pasta (ie thin, flat sheets) as noodles (long, stringy)? <confused>

When I make lasagne it's chopped beef (mince) onions, whatever veggies I decide to toss into it (usually mushrooms & peppers) which is spooned onto layers of pasta & cheese sauce, with more cheese sauce & grated sprinkled on the top.

cheese sauce: basic roux, add milk, add grated cheddar cheese.

[TinSoldier]

Why does everyone keep referring to lasagne pasta (ie thin, flat sheets) as noodles (long, stringy)? <confused>Bad habit? Ignorance? Willful ignorance?

:D

[Stephane]

Why does everyone keep referring to lasagne pasta (ie thin, flat sheets) as noodles (long, stringy)? <confused>
Frankly, I follow the crowd. In my other languages, it's "pâtes" or "pasta". <shrug>

[silverwhisper]

i do it just to irritate you, haze. :>

[Paulypalooza]

I don't have a recipe in itself. I make it all by hand, I generally follow the recipe on the noodle box. Lasagna isn't a house recipe at home.

One thing that I've picked up from my mom is to use sliced eggplant instead of noodles. You slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Put them on paper towel. Salt them lightly to get rid of water. After most of the water is expulsed from the slices, you can use them to prepare the lasagna.

I really like it.

I'm gonna have to try that it sounds really good.

[Haze]

i do it just to irritate you, haze. :>:spank: LOL!

<obligatoryfiller>

[Haze]

One thing that I've picked up from my mom is to use sliced eggplant instead of noodles. You slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Put them on paper towel. Salt them lightly to get rid of water. After most of the water is expulsed from the slices, you can use them to prepare the lasagna.

I really like it.I can imagine that working but I haven't ever appreciated the finer points of aubergine so that's one suggestion I shan't be trying. ;-(

[Stephane]

Getting the water out of the aubergine is the most important part of the process. Otherwise with the amount that you're putting in there (2-3 big ones), you'll be eating lasagna soup once it's cooked.

Haze: You don't know what you're missing.. <smirk> (I love doign that).

[Haze]

Haze: You don't know what you're missing.. <smirk> (I love doign that). I do know aubergine tastes nasty with a capital N. :p

[BattleNymph]

I do know aubergine tastes nasty with a capital N. :p

Only if you make it all greasy. I like it in tomato based recipes quite a bit. I have a recipe here for eggplant parmesan that is really good and no grease!

[Haze]

Only if you make it all greasy. I like it in tomato based recipes quite a bit. I have a recipe here for eggplant parmesan that is really good and no grease!Never had greasy aubergine, it simply tastes unpleasant enough for me not to want to repeat the experience but not quite bad enough for it to be never.

[silverwhisper]

see, i've always been quite fond of eggplant. how peculiar.

[BattleNymph]

see, i've always been quite fond of eggplant. how peculiar.
Peculiar that you like it or that Haze doesn't? :shoot: :D

[silverwhisper]

the latter, duh! :D

[Haze]

BTW it occurred to me that what's being described with the aubergine is practically moussaka (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/moussaka_6812.shtml).

[Archer]

start water for noodles. remember to add some salt. ideally, you should achieve the same saltiness as the ocean.



Oceans seen: 2
Oceans touched: 1
Oceans tasted: 0

Though I did taste a sample of water from the Dead Sea.