# Lasagna: corner, middle, or edge? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 23, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752 "2012-02-23T18:00:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![deedeeknowit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@deedeeknowit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deedeeknowit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/41 "2012-02-24T01:40:12Z")
I am soooooooo making lasagna after payday. And I like the corner too. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/42 "2012-02-24T01:57:01Z")
I think many of you are forgetting an important point. Most lasagna pans have sloped sides, so the side pieces and especially the corner pieces are smaller than the middle pieces! I MUST HAVE A MIDDLE PIECE!! ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/43 "2012-02-24T02:44:07Z")
Middle. I like crunchy/chewy cheese, but despise the crunchy/chewy pasta that goes with it in the corners of a lasagna pan. Middle wins out. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/44 "2012-02-24T02:52:29Z")
Not into the crunch. Give me a big slice from the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/45 "2012-02-24T03:28:43Z")
When it comes to food texture I always prefer crunchy to gooey. That goes for lasagna too. Give me a corner. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/46 "2012-02-24T05:44:48Z")
> [@Lsura](#): > > I’m number 2! I’m number 2! > > I feel like I SHOULD like lasagne. And I even make it about once every other year because I convince myself I do like it. And it’s ok, for the first couple of bites, but then I just realize i don’t like it that much and would rather have had pasta with a little sprinkle of cheese. Maybe it comes from me not liking tomato sauces very much? Why don’t you try making it without tomato sauce? You don’t have to have tomato sauce in lasagna. My own lasagna is layers of bolognaise (meat sauce) and bechamel on sheets of spinach pasta, and while the bolognaise does have some tomato in it, it’s predominantly meat. You could easily sub out the tomato for broth and end up with a fine product. Or you could layer in roasted veggies or spinach or whatnot. As long as you have something with a bit of heft and some moisture, you can layer lasagna with whatever your imagination allows. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/47 "2012-02-24T05:45:12Z")
I’ll take any, but I voted for the edge. I like a little crunchy to go along with the softer interior. And my wife makes a meat lasagna that’s epic. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/48 "2012-02-24T17:27:32Z")
Love corners and crunchy, chewy things. On pizza, too! ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/49 "2012-02-24T17:36:23Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Why don’t you try making it without tomato sauce? You don’t have to have tomato sauce in lasagna. My own lasagna is layers of bolognaise (meat sauce) and bechamel on sheets of spinach pasta, and while the bolognaise does have some tomato in it, it’s predominantly meat. You could easily sub out the tomato for broth and end up with a fine product. Or you could layer in roasted veggies or spinach or whatnot. As long as you have something with a bit of heft and some moisture, you can layer lasagna with whatever your imagination allows. Weel sure but then what you really have is [pastichio](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4575508440_5e924cbb6f.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/2009/01/im-in-love-with-gus-and-his-greek-pastichio.html&h=375&w=500&sz=101&tbnid=yyXZi_mCOCPSDM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=126&zoom=1&docid=ljfJbFFZ6K_nrM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CcpHT_vyJMjGtgeR9dCADg&sqi=2&ved=0CD4Q9QEwAQ). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/50 "2012-02-24T17:56:07Z")
Few things make me happier than lasagna. I’ll have one of each please. /Garfield ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/51 "2012-02-24T19:00:29Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > - I also pour tomato juice into the bottom of the pan, another of my Ancient Chinese Secrets to making killer baked pasta dishes. I just wrote this down on my lasagna recipe card. THANK YOU ELLEN!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/52 "2012-02-25T01:28:24Z")
🙂 🙂 Happy to help! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/53 "2012-02-27T03:39:40Z")
> [@FredGarven](#): > > Make this lasagna… > > [Food Wishes Video Recipes: A Christmas Lasagna](http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-lasagna.html) > > …using this for your tomato sauce… > > [Food Wishes Video Recipes: Tomato Sauce – Your Wish is Eventually My Command](http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/03/tomato-sauce-your-wish-is-eventually-my.html) > > …and you will never wonder which piece will be best again. They will all be perfect. Upon experimentation - eh. It was fine, but it wasn’t _awesome_. A bit of an… astringent taste, maybe? And oversalted. ---
**Author:** ![clarkstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@clarkstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clarkstar)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/54 "2012-02-28T01:49:57Z")
i like my corners nice and crunchy ---
**Author:** ![FredGarven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@FredGarven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FredGarven)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/55 "2012-03-06T18:04:46Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Upon experimentation - eh. It was fine, but it wasn’t _awesome_. A bit of an… astringent taste, maybe? And oversalted. I wonder how it could have been oversalted for you. Along with the slightly salty anchovey paste, there is only a total of 1 Tbsp. of salt in the whole recipe. When you pile this whole thing up, it weighs in at over 10 lbs. I cannot see how a tablespoon of salt can be too much in 10 lbs. of food. Did you use real Reggiano-Parmigiano, or the crap in the green can? Maybe this is why I have high blood pressure. At any rate, the idea is to mainly use the technique for building the dish in order to avoid the crunchy and burned lasagna pasta. You should always adjust your seasonings to your own tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/56 "2012-03-06T18:17:57Z")
I used real everything (as I generally do.) While there’s only a little added salt, remember there’s salt in the Italian sausage, for example. I think I am not a fan of San Marzano tomatoes - Cooks Illustrated isn’t all that impressed with them, either. They tasted thin. Salty might not exactly be what I’m trying to describe. It didn’t taste of richness, I think that’s the biggest thing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/57 "2012-03-06T18:44:37Z")
Do remember that not all San Marzanos are created equal. (And many are just “San Marzano style.”) Look for Carmelina brand. I swear by Muir Glen (which is not San Marzano, just a domestic brand), myself, but Carmelina is pretty freaking good. I generally find Cooks Illustrated to be all over the map in terms of their product reviews. I believe they recently found the Muir Glens to be their favorite, but a couple years ago, it was a “recommended with reservations” and the fire-roasted version (my favorite) was “not recommended.” Take their reviews with a huge grain of salt. And, speaking of salt, that’s one of those personal things. Just undersalt and adjust at the end. I rarely pay attention to salt amounts in a recipe because it’s so subjective and it depends on what ingredients you are using and their salt content. About the only time I am precise with salt is in a dough or making sausage. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/58 "2012-03-06T19:15:54Z")
I usually use Muir Glen, yeah. And I very rarely find things to be oversalted. There was just something… not to my taste about the lasagna. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/59 "2012-03-06T19:24:07Z")
Yeah, lasagna is one of those things you gotta find your own personal favorite recipe for. I like the bolonaise-bechamel-spinach pasta version, myself, so I probably wouldn’t be converted by that recipe, either. Although it does look solid on paper. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752/60 "2012-03-06T19:37:13Z")
My mother made it without ricotta, so I don’t use it either. I know, that’s blasphemy, but it’s the way I learned it, it’s the way I like it. I make it with a layer of sliced sausage, a layer of fresh basil leaves, and a _lot_ of cheese. I add grated parmesan to the top cheese layer. Sometimes I’ll top it off with seasoned Italian bread crumbs mixed with crushed French fried onions, but that’s usually more of a baked ziti thing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lasagna-corner-middle-or-edge/613752.md?page=4)