Lasagna Thread: Your Methods for Layered Noodly Goodness

[butler1850]

I posted in this thread (post # 27). Some great tips in there.

The text is below:

My methods are pretty simple, but I make massive quantities of lasagna at a time (4-5 standard pans, and 4-5 “loaf” pans worth for the freezer)

I make my standard red sauce. Oil, garlic (lots), onions (lots). Add crushed tomatoes (canned if not in season), add basil, oregano, and rosemary. Simmer for a couple of hours. For this purpose I make it a bit more watery than I would if I was going to use it for standard pasta.

While this is simmering, I make a couple of baking sheets worth of meatballs, and cook off about 4-5 lbs of sausages on the grill. Once everything is cooked, and cooled, I slice into pieces, and set aside.

I then get all my cookware together, and put my ricotta in a large mixing bowl. I then (this comes from an aunt of an Italian/greek gal I dated) add enough of my red sauce to make the whole mixture “pink” (this is subjective, but usually about 1cup to 1 large ricotta container 32oz (?) ).

Grease the pans, add a light layer of red sauce to the bottom, and layer on uncooked lasagna noodles (I like Prince, but other brands work fine). Then layer on some of the ricotta/red sauce mixture, add a layer of meats, then cheese. repeat the layering until it’s just below the top of the pan. Top with straight red sauce (enough to fill in all the air voids) press down (a bit messy), and sprinkle on more cheese.

For cheeses I use a combination of Mozzarella purchased at the deli (cut about 1/4" thick) and shredded pizza blend cheese.

Repeat untill out of ingredients! Bake and enjoy! (I like to let mine sit in the fridge for about 12-24 hours before cooking, but it’s not required). They will freeze well if wrapped tighly for about a year, but I’ve had some that sat in the freezer for longer.

It may not be the best in the world, but it’s better than most I’ve had at resturants, better than the FIL’s (professional cook, he’s given up making this after having mine), and does not have the huge clumps of dry ricotta that I loathe. My Brother-in-law gladly takes these as payment for HVAC work at my house!
Good luck!

[me_jane]

@pugluvr

I once saw a show about firehouse cooking, and the fireman chef liked to make “lazy man’s lasagna”. Instead of dealing with the big flat noodles, he cooked up a batch of ziti or penne and simply sprinkled them in single layers between the sauces and cheese. I tried it, and it turned out great! And it was much easier than classic lasagna.

That sounds excellent…but let me ask you, did you have any problems with it falling apart?

[tarragon918]

My mouth is watering for some lasagna now! What a wonderful thread and so many delicious recipes too. I haven’t made a lasagna in a long time either - it’s expensive and time-consuming, but worth the effort in taste. I usually make it with tomato-based sauce, but have made it with bechamel a couple of times and to be honest, I liked the bechamel better! Sometimes tomatoes don’t agree with me. When I started making lasagna, I simply followed the recipe on the box of noodles but soon found that you really have to tweak the recipe until you get the consistency you like the best.

I know most of you folks are going to probably want to kick me out of this thread for what I am about to share - sacriledge that it is - but a short-cut tip I’ve tried on occasion (and it worked out well, honest!) is to use frozen cheese-filled ravioli instead of lasagna noodles. There are some very good ravioli (frozen) available, and some of them are larger than normal size. You don’t pre-cook them, they’ll cook in the dish. It does save time and it was quite tasty, really.

[Stranger_On_A_Train]

@tarragon918

I usually make it with tomato-based sauce, but have made it with bechamel a couple of times and to be honest, I liked the bechamel better!

Try using both. They go together quite well.

Stranger