Lasagne

[knk]

Bechamel between each layer, or just on top?

[thebraketester]

Meat - pasta - sauce - meat - pasta - sauce

[dazwalsh]

thebraketester said:

Meat - pasta - sauce - meat - pasta - sauce

Correct. /thread. Dont listen to the heathens who tinker with the classic method.

[ChrisnChris]

Christine always does about 6 layers of pasta with filling and béchamel sauce in between each layer. In a deep dish, It's absolutely delicious.

[Mobile Chicane]

Pasta, meat, grated mozzarella. Repeat until you run out of room.

Sauce on top, more grated mozzarella, then a liberal topping of 30 month aged grated Parmesan, mixed with toasted focaccia crumbs.

Sauce in between each layer makes the dish 'gloppy'.

[Cotty]

Mobile Chicane said:

Sauce in between each layer makes the dish 'gloppy'.

I like gloppy. I also find properly done moussaka too dry as well.

[Fastchas]

Don't forget lasagne as we know has been 'bdized', if you will. Maybe an american version.
Go to Italy for true lasagne and there is nothing inbetween fresh sheets of pasta. There is just 5/6 layers with a dribble of ragu sauce over the top. I can't remember if there was even any bechamel sauce, I don't think there was.
Still prefer our version though!

[HarryFlatters]

I do...

meat-pasta-sauce-pasta-meat-pasta-sauce until I run out of room. Plenty of sauce and parmesan on top.

If you're worried about gloop, put some beaten eggs in your bechamel once it's cooled (and for fk's sake infuse the milk with some flavour ). The egg will help lightly set the sauce and will go lovely and golden on top.

[cbmotorsport]

thebraketester said:

Meat - pasta - sauce - meat - pasta - sauce

+1.

You can add some torn mozzarella layers as well, which will give you extra richness, and a bit of cheese 'pull'. ;-)

[Blown2CV]

don't cook your pasta sheets before you put them in the lasagne dish either.

[loafer123]

My tips;

Don't use Bechamel, use a Creme Fraiche sauce instead - lighter and creamier.
Meat ragu, white sauce and fresh uncooked pasta sheets every layer.
Include finely diced carrot in the ragu.
Include anchovy puree in the creme fraiche sauce.

Similar approach to Jamie Olivers;

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/s...

[Stella Tortoise]

My Mrs uses cottage cheese instead of bechamel.

[Simon Brooks]

Blown2CV said:

don't cook your pasta sheets before you put them in the lasagne dish either.

slight caveat to the above, we find it better to layer up 24 hours in advance and let sauces soften pasta sheets overnight in fridge

yum yum !!!

[J8 SVG]

From top to bottom:

Cheddar & Mozzarella
Sauce
Pasta
Meat
Mozzarella
Sauce
Pasta
Meat
Sauce
Pasta
Meat

[Blown2CV]

Simon Brooks said:

Blown2CV said:

don't cook your pasta sheets before you put them in the lasagne dish either.

slight caveat to the above, we find it better to layer up 24 hours in advance and let sauces soften pasta sheets overnight in fridge

yum yum !!!

they soften just fine in the oven... just need to ensure you are not leaving any bits of pasta exposed not covered in sauce

[loafer123]

Blown2CV said:

they soften just fine in the oven... just need to ensure you are not leaving any bits of pasta exposed not covered in sauce

The crispy/chewy bits are a part of the lasagne experience!

[thebraketester]

loafer123 said:

Blown2CV said:

they soften just fine in the oven... just need to ensure you are not leaving any bits of pasta exposed not covered in sauce

The crispy/chewy bits are a part of the lasagne experience!

Totally :-)

[Blown2CV]

thebraketester said:

loafer123 said:

Blown2CV said:

they soften just fine in the oven... just need to ensure you are not leaving any bits of pasta exposed not covered in sauce

The crispy/chewy bits are a part of the lasagne experience!

Totally :-)

debatable!! Depends how crispy/chewy!!

[cbmotorsport]

Only PH could turn constructing a simple pasta dish into something akin to rocket science. ;-)

The best bits of a lasagne are the chewy and crunchy bits stuck to the edge of the dish when you've finished serving it up. This is fact.

[thebraketester]

Not crispy to the point it is like dried sheets.... thats nasty.