Lasagne - Difficult to make?

[TIGA84]

21TonyK said:

Personally, if you are learning to cook, I would just buy decent readymade sauces and pimp it up. Add a little nutmeg and extra parmesan on the top. Bung loads of fresh herbs in the tomato sauce and use a mixture of pork and beef mince.

And, as others have said. Make it the day before. It's much better reheated and it will hold together on the place. Plus, it makes the evening much more relaxing and you can focus on a decent salad to go with it and a nice antipasto to kick things off.

I'd go with our learned friend Mr21K here.

Hell, even Dolmio do kits now with added pimping (crunchy top).



Chuck a rich beef stockpot in with the bolognese, some cooked down mushrooms, splash of Lean and Perrins and some tomato puree to richen, use beef and pork and some red wine and you'll not go far wrong. I made one for my kids the other day, stloads of parmesan/polenta on the top to add crispy layer and worked a treat but this is even easier, just make sure its cooked for a good couple of hours and all will be well.

The make it the day before advice is 100%, its just better.

[mattdaniels]

BoRED S2upid said:

don't be trying to make a white sauce

[FredClogs]

NordicCrankShaft said:

FredClogs said:

It's easy, but does involve a bit of mess, flower, tomato sauce, sticky cheesy white gloop.

Steak, salad and chips might be less hassle.

I like to put daffodils in mine :P

Chicks love that kind of little touch of class, followed by saying "get your twolips on that"

[lauda]

Once it's cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. I will still be plenty hot enough but it will have 'set' a little bit so should retain it's shape a bit better on the plate and not look like slop.

[cheddar]

BoRED S2upid said:

Make the ragu from scratch
Cook it for ages that's the trick
Don't be trying to make a white sauce.

This
Do the ragu the day before, use liquid stock, simmer for ages (2 hours +) to reduce and add depth, don't keep tasting it and adding seasoning, time is your flavour friend

Wash your bedding

[castex]

cheddar said:

Wash your bedding

Absolutely.
Also, clean pants. Hoover a bit. Some ladies like flossing while others aren't so fussy.

[numtumfutunch]

No stock in ragu for me, but I do like a splash of Worcester and some red wine

Before I met Mrs F'Tunch Id spread some Bel Paese on the back of fresh lasagne sheets but now we're married I dont bother and use dried lasagne, TBH she cant tell the difference

And totally make the ragu the day before so the flavours mature
If you feel the need to "make it your own" Id suggest chuck steak chopped by hand into 'meat pie' sized chunks instead of mince beef

Cheers - and pics of the lass

[Google [bot]]

For serious brownie points, or possibly serious disappointment:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AihSZZDOBx8

[Trevatanus]

Google [bot] said:

For serious brownie points, or possibly serious disappointment:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AihSZZDOBx8

Wow!

[C0ffin D0dger]

NordicCrankShaft said:

I like to put daffodils in mine :P

Just as an aside like please don't put daffodils in your cooking, they are actually a bit poisonous

[RizzoTheRat]

Google [bot] said:

For serious brownie points, or possibly serious disappointment:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AihSZZDOBx8

<Drool>

I have to give that a go, not sure if my chef's rings are big enough though.

[lewisf182]

Lasagne takes a long time but home made lasagne is incredible, one of my favourite dishes. They always taste better the day after having been in the fridge overnight IMHO, helps to solidify them and after a quick reheat in the oven they are perfect.

[TIGA84]

RizzoTheRat said:

<Drool>

I have to give that a go, not sure if my chef's rings are big enough though.

Easy enough, might try it, although I think I'd build the lasagna around the frozen cube, rather than cutting a hole for it, not sure why he does that.

[RizzoTheRat]

I assume because he's cut the sheets to the size of the ring, otherwise you'd have to use smaller bits of pasta laud around it.


Faintly amused that in a thread asking about making lasagne two of the replies suggest making Spanish chicken or steak and chips instead, and now we're discussing the finer points of something in far more detail than the OP needs to know, It's just like a car buying thread

[TIGA84]

Very true. Personally I think the OP is a wimp and should try Jamies Duck Lasagne, but with a bechamel air, a 204 hour sous vide bolognese and Theo Randalls recipe for pasta with 602 egg yolks from an elderly chicken called Mimi.

Deconstructed, natch.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/duck-recipes/cr...

Should be fairly straightforwards served on a board being carried between two live Mallards.

[marshalla]

RizzoTheRat said:

I assume because he's cut the sheets to the size of the ring, otherwise you'd have to use smaller bits of pasta laud around it.

Why not cut the sheets with the ring, then cut out the centres and construct the whole thing around the cube to avoid wasting ragout?

[Craikeybaby]

Fairly easy to make, it was the first thing I cooked for my now wife - also the first time I'd cooked lasagne.

The tip about leaving to to cool for a bit sounds interestiing, as mine always looks a bit sloppy when served.

[Adenauer]

mattdaniels said:

BoRED S2upid said:

don't be trying to make a white sauce

Use this, easy peasy and you can tell her you made the sauce using four different cheeses.

Just make sure that you burn the empty packet before she arrives.

[Davey S2]

Atomic GTI said:

White sauce

Melt butter in a sauce pan, add flour till it is a paste, then gradually add milk over the heat until it thickens and is enough to layer into your lasagne. an extra touch can be a little nutmeg, but don't over do it!

Then stack the layers up with sheets in between each one!

The sauce is improved massively if you add pesto to it.

Blend a handful of pine nuts, handful of fresh basil leaves and some extra virgin olive oil then stir into the sauce.

[Petrol Only]

White sauce is the easiest bit. No cheese!

Simmer bay leaves and peppercorns in milk for 15 mins or so.

Bechamel sauce tips.

Add the milk to the butter and flour mix little at a time making sure to heat it through each time. Guaranteed lump free silky white sauce.