# ISO help/advice preparing lasagna



## emmaline (Sep 6, 2015)

I've never managed to make a decent beef lasagne before in fact they've turned out really awful. This time I am going to use a bottle of ready made sauce instead of making my own. However, one thing I'm curious to know.. should I put the pasta sheets into boiling water for a few minutes before using them in the recipe?

Your help will be much appreciated. Thankyou.


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## Katie H (Sep 6, 2015)

I've been making lasagna for years and have always used a recipe from a family member who comes from Italy.

She always cooks the noodles first, then places them on a clean, dry towel and pats them dry.  One of the culprits to failed lasagna is too much moisture.  It is surprising how much can come from the noodles.

Real lasagna should come out of the pan like a piece of cake when it is cut...all one nice piece.

As for cooking the noodles, don't cook them to mush.  Cook them al dente (to the tooth), which means they have some firmness to them when you bite into them.  You don't want them too soft because they'll cook more when the dish is baked.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 6, 2015)

What was it about your lasagna that you didn't like?


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## medtran49 (Sep 6, 2015)

Are you using traditional noodles or the no-boil ready to use noodles?  Regardless, I have always placed both in boiling water, just a matter of time difference.  For the traditional noodle I've always used about 2/3 of time noted in box cooking directions.  For the no-boil noodles, just basically a quick 30-second r so dunk. I always lay out on paper towels and pat dry.  I've found the no-boil noodles don't taste done to us if they don't get at least 30 seconds.

Ina Garten used the no-boil noodles on a recent show and she dunked them in a sheet pan that she had poured boiling water into, then dried them.  That did look easier than trying to fish them out of a pan with boiling water.


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## Andy M. (Sep 6, 2015)

Even though I use the no boil noodles, I boil the lasagna noodles so they are soft and pliable when I construct the lasagna.  It's easier to handle them that way.


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 6, 2015)

I'm a noodle boiler! 

This thread will give you some good information.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f20/luca-s-meat-lasagna-easy-recipe-franca-s-style-74951.html

Good luck!


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## creative (Sep 6, 2015)

emmaline - you may find ready made sauces a bit on the sweet side.  I dislike them for their sugar content.


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## emmaline (Sep 6, 2015)

Katie H said:


> I've been making lasagna for years and have always used a recipe from a family member who comes from Italy.
> 
> She always cooks the noodles first, then places them on a clean, dry towel and pats them dry. One of the culprits to failed lasagna is too much moisture. It is surprising how much can come from the noodles.
> 
> ...


 


GotGarlic said:


> What was it about your lasagna that you didn't like?


 
The answer to that question GG was in Katie's post.. it came out all mushy.. obviously because I hadn't dried the sheets off properly it seems.



creative said:


> emmaline - you may find ready made sauces a bit on the sweet side. I dislike them for their sugar content.


 
I am aware of the nutritional ingredients as I log all my food because I count calories etc. in order to try to lose some more weight.

Thanks for all your replies.


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## creative (Sep 6, 2015)

emmaline - I think you have misunderstood Katie H's advice.  If the lasagna came out "all mushy" then it's not due to drying the sheets but too overcooking them in the first place.  "Al dente" means that the pasta should still be firm when you bite into the pasta, i.e. not too soft. 

Patting the sheets dry would just mean less watery fillings.


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## larry_stewart (Sep 6, 2015)

I have 2 rules when making the lasagna.
I usually do ( from the bottom up) a little sauce, noodle layer, meat layer ( Not real meat cause Im veg, but really not important here), Another noodle layer, Cheese layer ( ricotta), Another noodle layer, then sauce on top. Bake till hot through and through.  Last few minutes Mozzarella on top.

I agree with the noodles a little a la dente , as they will continue to cook and soften through the baking process.

My first rule, is that the cheese is the upper layer.  I find when it is one of the lower layers, it kinda squirts out from all the pressure of everything on top of it.

My second rule, is it is good to let it sit a bit after you cook it.  It seems to hold together better after it sits, than when it is immediately out of the oven.

And in reference to another ongoing thread, Lasagna is great the next day cold/ or room temp.  ( or at least it is to me  )


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## GotGarlic (Sep 6, 2015)

I remembered that I posted my lasagna recipe here some time ago. I use Italian sausage rather than ground beef because it has more flavor. 

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f20/tnt-lasagna-45084.html


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## creative (Sep 6, 2015)

GotGarlic said:


> I remembered that I posted my lasagna recipe here some time ago. I use Italian sausage rather than ground beef because it has more flavor.
> 
> http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f20/tnt-lasagna-45084.html


That sounds good!  Presumably, by 'bulk italian sausage' you mean to take it out of its skin?


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## GotGarlic (Sep 6, 2015)

creative said:


> That sounds good!  Presumably, by 'bulk italian sausage' you mean to take it out of its skin?



Thank you. I don't know if you have it available this way in England, but we can buy Italian sausage that is not in the skin. It's just seasoned fresh sausage in a plastic wrapper. But you can also remove it from the skins if that's the only way it's sold there. 

I make this every year for DH's birthday. It's his favorite meal I make


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## Dawgluver (Sep 6, 2015)

GotGarlic said:


> Thank you. I don't know if you have it available this way in England, but we can buy Italian sausage that is not in the skin. It's just seasoned fresh sausage in a plastic wrapper. But you can also remove it from the skins if that's the only way it's sold there.
> 
> I make this every year for DH's birthday. It's his favorite meal I make




I make my lasagna with Italian skinless sausage as well.  We get ours the same way you do, GG.


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## CraigC (Sep 7, 2015)

GotGarlic said:


> Thank you. I don't know if you have it available this way in England, but we can buy Italian sausage that is not in the skin. It's just seasoned fresh sausage in a plastic wrapper. But you can also remove it from the skins if that's the only way it's sold there.
> 
> I make this every year for DH's birthday. It's his favorite meal I make



You can also make your own Italian sausage and season to your liking. But, you know that.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 7, 2015)

CraigC said:


> You can also make your own Italian sausage and season to your liking. But, you know that.



Yup. I made it once. I need to do that again.


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## puffin3 (Sep 7, 2015)

My lasagna tips:
Regular noodle sheets cooked just to el dente
Dry on PT
Rub OO on the lasagna pan to stop the L from sticking
I use glass oven prove pans
Thin layer of sauce
Layer of noodles
Thin layer of very patted dry cooked spinach
Thin layer of cooked fine ground chuck
Thin layer of mozza cheese.
Repeat until you until the top of the pan. I end up with three layers usually.
If you make the last ingredient a thin layer of sauce the cheese and noodles just underneath won't dry out and turn tough when the L is cooked in the oven.
Before I put the built L into the oven I always, using a very sharp knife precut the L into the portions I want to end up with. Then when ready to serve I'm not digging into the L and mushing it. If you know what I'm getting at.
When serving I always take a middle piece out first.
Then all the other pieces are easy to lift out with a flipper of some sort.


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## FoodieFanatic (Sep 7, 2015)

To keep the lasagna from getting too runny (other the noodles being dry) is watch how much sauce you put on each layer.  Less is more if you want it to setup.  Extra sauce can be ladled over the lasagna pieces before serving.  Learned this from my Sicilian aunt who made the BEST lasagna.


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## msmofet (Sep 8, 2015)

*Ms. Mofet's Baked Meat Lasagna (click)*


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## emmaline (Oct 4, 2015)

I have made two lasagnes since my posting both of which were rather dismal! 

The first one I put the white sauce into the beef mix which meant there was a good layer on each of the pasta sheets .. not that there was anything terribly wrong with that but unfortunately, not being a well person, by the time I got around to putting the rest into the freezer it had all gone sour! 
The second, which was just yesterday, I put the whole packet of lasagne sheets into a pan of water all at once which meant I spent quite some time trying to prise them apart...  .. and to think I used to be such a good cook at one time...


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## creative (Oct 4, 2015)

emmaline said:


> I have made two lasagnes since my posting both of which were rather dismal!
> 
> The first one I put the white sauce into the beef mix which meant there was a good layer on each of the pasta sheets .. not that there was anything terribly wrong with that but unfortunately, not being a well person, by the time I got around to putting the rest into the freezer it had all gone sour!
> The second, which was just yesterday, I put the whole packet of lasagne sheets into a pan of water all at once which meant I spent quite some time trying to prise them apart...  .. and to think I used to be such a good cook at one time...


Well at least it seems you know what you did wrong so it's a lesson learnt scenario?


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## Kayelle (Oct 4, 2015)

Emmaline, maybe you would do better with some lasagna roll ups, and unlike lasagna, they're *so* easy to serve. Here's a picture of mine after and before I baked them.


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## taxlady (Oct 4, 2015)

Kayelle said:


> Emmaline, maybe you would do better with some lasagna roll ups, and unlike lasagna, they're *so* easy to serve. Here's a picture of mine after and before I baked them.


Oh my! I wanna try that. Have you posted your recipe/instructions?


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## Kayelle (Oct 5, 2015)

taxlady said:


> Oh my! I wanna try that. Have you posted your recipe/instructions?



I don't think I've posted recipe/instructions, but I'll work on that tomorrow.
Thanks for the interest Taxi.


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## Cheryl J (Oct 5, 2015)

Looks delicious, Kay!  I'll be watching here for your recipe.


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## Janet H (Oct 5, 2015)

I also do a roll-up.  My favorite version involves sauteed mushrooms, garlic, spinach and seasoning in a ricotta base.  This gets spread onto lightly cooked noodles, sprinkled with shredded parm rolled, covered with sauce and baked.  The ratio of noodle to filling is a bit higher than traditional lasagna which I like and as noted is serves so nicely!


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## Kayelle (Oct 5, 2015)

Janet H said:


> I also do a roll-up.  My favorite version  involves sauteed mushrooms, garlic, spinach and seasoning in a ricotta  base.  This gets spread onto lightly cooked noodles, sprinkled with  shredded parm rolled, covered with sauce and baked.  The ratio of noodle  to filling is a bit higher than traditional lasagna which I like and as  noted is serves so nicely!



Actually Janet, my lasagna  roll-ups are much like yours. I don't like ricotta so I use a 1-1  mixture of cottage cheese and grated Mozzarella with lots of Italian  herb mix. Sometimes I use Italian sausage in the mix along with the  spinach and mushrooms, but it's just as good without it. The key is to  dip the no cook noodles individually into a skillet of boiling water,  just until they are pliable enough to roll. It's important to have  plenty of marinara sauce in the pan before baking, as can be seen in the before  and after picture. A Bechamel sauce can be added on the top if you wish.


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## Roll_Bones (Oct 13, 2015)

creative said:


> That sounds good!  Presumably, by 'bulk italian sausage' you mean to take it out of its skin?



I fry the Italian links and cut into fairly thin rounds after they cool. Then I arrange the rounds like one would arrange pepperoni on a pizza.
I also make meat balls instead of using plain ground beef.  When cold, I slice them up into rounds as well.
Makes for a very nice presentation and the texture is not one of ground meat.



GotGarlic said:


> Yup. I made it once. I need to do that again.



Agree.  Once was enough for me too!


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