I was just responding to the OP’s preference for “firm lasagna”. I have no idea what that even is - except, as you say, the wrong kind.
But the best tasting lasagna I’ve ever had was very soft; just enough to hold together.
ETA: I always make my sauce myself. It’s the most fun part of making lasagna!
I expanded upon my answer. I was in a bad mood, though:
FUCKING STANDING OVATION
Now THAT’S a recipe.
Nice work. Seriously, you need to write a cook book under the name The Angry Chef, you will make a fortune.
Here’s the way I’ve always made it and it’s always worked fine for me.
Lasagne Noodles
Lean Hamburger
Diced onion (optional)
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I usually use Ragu)
Large Container of Creamed Cottage Cheese
1 Egg
Kraft Parmesan
Sliced/Shredded Mozzarella
I “half boil” my Lasagne noodles, (that is, I don’t fully boil them to the point where they’re in danger of disintegrating), and let them finish up in the oven. When I think they’re at the right degree of “doneness” I pour the pot they’re in into a collander and follow up with cold water to cool them a little.
Fry your hamburger (and diced onion and spices if you wish) and drain off any grease. Place it on a plate with a piece of paper towel on it to get any residual grease.
While the hamburger is draining, pour a jar of spaghetti sauce into a large mixing bowl.
In another large mixing bowl, dump in a large container of creamed cottage cheese, crack an egg into this and add Kraft Parmesan, and mix. This mixture will dehydrate somewhat while cooking due to the egg and the Parmesan, and it should be a “smooth” consistency.
Add your hamburger to your sauce and mix. At this stage, also put in any vegetables you may want to add. I always put in sliced green olives, but I have seen others add such things as diced mushrooms, diced green peppers, whatever.
Now assemble in a casserole/Pyrex dish. Put a layer of noodles on the bottom; on top of this spoon on the meat/sauce mixture, covering the noodles. On top of that, put the cottage cheese/egg/Parmesan mixture in dollops. Sprinkle Mozzarella over top of that, and then put on another layer of noodles and begin again. I usually do three layers, finishing up with mozzarella on top.
Put into a 350 F oven for 45 minutes or so. You’re not really “cooking” this as much as you’re warming it through at a heat high enough to warm and melt the cheese as well as heating the meat and sauce. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 or 6 minutes – which is usually long enough to eat a Caesar Salad – while it sets.
Note that I don’t usually use measurements. Everything is done to taste, and is based upon how big your Lasagne is going to be, which of course, depends on how many you are feeding. You know how many noodles you are going to need; a pound of lean hamburger is usually enough, as is a jar of spaghetti sauce. There’s usually enough for 8 servings.
Rick your blog is awesome. That’s all.
clap
I’m not a Communist vegetarian lasagna eater, just a kosher one. Do I still have to go to another website?
Hell, I’d buy it, and I’m one of those who likes bechamel and homemade noodles. 
When I first moved to England, I really missed the lasagne noodles with the wavy edges. The plain ones they sell here lack pizzaz. Until I read this thread, I had thought that the bechamel layers was also a British thing as we had never cooked lasagne that way in Canada.
Like In Winnipeg we also used the cottage cheese/parmesan/egg combo in the centre. In recent years I’ve also added a little gruyere to the top mozzerella layer
That’s a Northern- and Southern-Italian difference. The Italian food you get in the Americas is mostly informed by Southern Italian/Sicilian influences (because of migration patterns.) The Italian food you tend to get on the British Isles and the Continent comes from Northern Italian traditions. Through most of Italy, my impression is that the Bolognese (bechamel) version is much more popular. Once you get to Naples and beyond, you’ll find the ricotta variations. There is also a third, pesto-based, lasagna from Genoa. It’s all just regional variations.
So awesome that Rick should have his own Room to moderate on the SDMB
If my email subscription to your blog is not approved, I’ll come over there and fucking kill you.
Now you have me trying to devise an acceptable kosher lasagna. The problem of kosher-observing guests being unable to eat beef with cheese had not occurred to me. This is an interesting and challenging issue.
Tune in next week for my recipe for Prime Fucking Rib.
Damn, if you keep posting recipes I’m going to have to get off my ass and check your blog regularly.
By the way am I the only one who got a mental image of Optimus Prime getting it on with a Flintstone’s rack of ribs?
Back to the actual thread. I’ve been inspired and I’m make my first lasagna Friday night. I just bought the stuff today I’m going to follow the joy of cooking recipe with the bechamel sauce since the ricota is my least favorite part of lasagna (I normally pick it off) and I’m going to use 1/2 lb of lamb instead of all beef. I’m also using about double the cheese and a ton of garlic. To perfect my cooking from here I’m also making a honey cheesecake for dessert. Noe I just need to find some people to help me eat it all.
That actually comes from the recipe that was printed on the side of the Catelli lasagne noodle box for years. I can remember the first time my mother cooked lasagne (from that very recipe) – it was September 2, 1972 – the date of the first Canada/Russia Summit Series game. Since that time, I’ve tweaked the original recipe somewhat, but the cottage cheese/parmesan/egg combo has stayed the same.
Now, that sounds like a great idea. I’ll have to try it next time I make a pan.
[QUOTE]
If you want milk, flour, and butter, go bake a fucking cake, pastry-boy. /QUOTE]
Ok now that I’ve had my belly laugh for the day, I can go and do something useful. Funniest lasagne recipe ever.
@ In Winnipeg I’ll bet that’s exactly where (and when) my mother got the recipe too!
Using cottage cheese is an abomination unto the Flying Spaghetti Monster. So is using Cheddar cheese. You may use ricotta (preferably whole milk), mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and a couple of other white Italian cheeses whose names I’m blanking on. But Cheddar and cottage cheese are forbidden.
Also, use ground beef, onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic. No chili powder. Parsley is good. You can use ground pork/bulk pork sausage in place of some of the ground beef.
If you really want to ‘kick it up a notch’, and pay for your cardiologist’s summer cottage at the same time, wait until about ten minutes before the lasagna’s done cooking, take it out of the oven, add a layer of pepperoni and another layer of some kind of Italian melty cheese, put it back in the oven for ten more minutes.
Eat,call cardiologist (or 911, whichever you feel necessary), enjoy!
Okay, I tried RickJay’s recipe.
Being unfamiliar with cookery more compliated than boiling noodles, I wasn’t exactly perfect. I forgot to cover the pan for instance, and now the top layer is burnt and crunchy. (And now you have heard of lasagna that you can’t cut with a fork). But I think I can get it right the second time.
I do have a few technical questions, though:
How reduced is “reduced”? Do I have to boil the sauce down to a paste, or just make it thicker than usual?*
How much reduced sauce to I need to make beforehand for a typical lasagna?
How are you supposed to spread thick globs of tomato paste?
*I tried tomato paste until I ran out. The problem is that tomato paste is very thick, and it takes a lot of spice to flavor it. I kept adding and adding and it still came out tasting like pure tomato. So I think I’ll stick to reducing sauce, if it turns out that I just have to thicken it.
Why do you need a substitute for the red wine? If you’re trying to stay away from the alcohol but still want that wine-ish flavor, you could try replacing some of the balsamic vinegar with red wine vinegar.
And I have a really easy microwave lasagna recipe at home. I’ll see if I can dig it up tonight.