Lasagna, what makes yours stand out from the norm?

[flowerpot1000000]

So got my mince, onion and garlic on. Just thinking it's abit boring whatelse other than toms, seasoning can I add

*smoked

I always use Philadelphia as well as grated cheese for lasagne topping
Just blobs of Philadelphia dotted around before cooking

Standard Ragu with beef, mushrooms, carrot, celery, onion, sometimes a few rashers of smoked streaky.

Bechamel without cheese then finely grated gruyère between the layers and loads on top. Makes it all stringy and cheesy.

Gosh, I could really eat that right now but I can't be arsed spending hours and using every pan in the house.

Marjoram in the ragu 😍

Nutmeg and a little mustard in the bechamel.

Worcester sauce and a bit of anchovy essence in the ragu.

I put smoked paprika and chorizo in low oven 150 for 2 1/2 hrs .... is lovely and rich

A couple of rashers of bacon fried with the onion makes all the difference to the flavour to any bolo or lasagne.

They do a good one at work. The best feature is the layer of well melted grated cheese on top. Thick, flavoursome and golden brown. Mmmmm.

Bay leaves and a slice of onion in sauce when cooking, remove afterwards. Plenty of oregano and pepper, tomato puree and veg with the mince etc. Mmm...hungry now!!

I put a beef stock pot thing in my rage. It just makes it so much meatier. It's delicious. And a small teaspoon of English mustard in the white sauce too.

*in my ragu obviously... lasagne doesn't give me rage...

My ragu is a lot like my bolognese - shhh.
Onion, garlic, celery, bay leaf, oregano, sometimes finely chopped carrot, good quality tinned tomatoes and mince, salt and pepper.
Secret ingredients - rinse the tomato tins out with a small amount of milk and add that for extra creaminess. All then slow cooked in the oven on a low heat for several hours.

Pancetta, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, mince, two tins of plum (not chopped) tomatoes, oregano from the garden. Bay and nutmeg in the bechamel. Sliced mozzarella ball between the second and third layers. Good spinach lasagne sheets (dried) from the Italian deli makes a difference. Parmesan and nutmeg on top. Served with wilted spinach and garlic bread.

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/pasta/lasagne-al-forno

Follow religiously. It never fails.

I’m another fan of the Jamie creme fraiche instead of white sauce and mine always includes pancetta, mushrooms, onions, peppers & a good shake of Italian seasoning with a load of Parmesan stirred into the ragu towards the end. It’s delicious, even if I do say so myself

Hard boiled eggs, wtf?
Italian seasoning herbs.
Cheese sauce made with lots of cheddar. Lots of grated cheddar on top. Mine is an unashamedly British lasagne. I also put a Knorr beef stock pot in the ragu. And bacon bits. And onion and garlic.

Nutmeg
Bay leaves
Pecorino/Parmesan/mozzarella
Hungry now!

Sliced black olives baked into the top. Devine.

Divine even 

Mince
Tomato
Onion
Red pepper
Chickpea
Spinach
Ricotta
Oregano
Sometimes Chillon

A roasted aubergine layered in between the mince and pasta. Bechamel in each layer. Pancetta cooked with the onions. Sometimes some porcini mushrooms in the sauce.

I used to use it as a camouflage exercise when the kids were younger and now it’s just habit so basically I have a truckload if veg in mine. Carrots, celery, zucchini, mushroom, red capsicum, spinach. Add in any other veg I had spare that was getting a little long in the tooth in the fridge. All of that is chopped in the food processor so there are no recognisable bits. Completely unnecessary but as I said, even though kids are older now it’s still habit after so many years. Add to that brown onion and garlic. Fry off as best as possible given the volume then add the mince bay leaves and tomatoes, puréed and chopped to make the liquid ratio right, Italian herbs and some wostershire sauce. After simmering for a few hours I put it all together topped with bechamel and pizza cheese.

Ends up being 3/4 veg and 1/4 mince. Makes up a lot so I make a few lasagnes in one go, putting all but one in large foil trays then after cooking and cooling the extras have the lids put on foil trays and get frozen to be used on busy nights.

Sry, lack of comma’s and sp mistakes, is late and fingers tired.

Onion, celery, grated carrot to start. Garlic, tinned tomatoes, splash of wine, oregano, Worcester sauce. Mince is beef and pork mixture. Cook for a long time. Nutmeg in the bechemel. Fresh lasagne sheets. Plenty of cheese.

MrsS- the hard boiled egg thing is very common in this part of Italy (not the town I'm in, but just up the coast you wouldn't find lasagne without it)

Here, the traditional lasagne would be very simple: finely chopped carrots, celery and onion as a base for the ragu, (a very small amount though- dh was always horrified at how much chunky carrot and onion we lob into things in the UK) mince, a slosh of red wine and some passata or polpa. And LOTS more salt and pepper than you would ever imagine, otherwise the tomato is wayyyyy too acid. Salt removes the acid.
Bechamel absolutely with nutmeg.
Layer pasta with meat/bechamel and here, we add fresh mozzarella to each layer as well.
Finish the top with a bucket load of cheese. I also put a handful of fresh breadcrumbs on top for extra crunch.

I add an oxo cube to the meat sauce.
*Dp's family do not need to know this.