Lasagne

[comeasyouare91]

I've attempted to make lasagne several times and it's always resulted in a sloppy mess. It's one of my favourite meals and it seems so simple yet I've never been able to get it right. Does anyone fancy sharing their classic Lasagne recipe so I can have one more go before throwing in the towel?

Thanks

This one is my ride or die...we are veggie so I make I with Quorn and it's just as good

www.google.com/amp/s/deathandpeaches.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/in-the-kitchen-with-gordon-ramsay%25E2%2580%2599s-lasagne-al-forno/amp/

Do you let it stand for 5-10 or so minutes before you serve it. It stops it being lava if you do that, I find that works for me.

Are you letting it rest for enough time when it comes out of the oven? That's usually the difference between lasagne and lasagne flavoured stew for me!

this has never let me down

Everyone makes it differently, as you will soon see.

My tip is to never make the mince part the day you make the lasagne. I always do that the day before. Then build it with the cold mince, then cook it in oven.

Mince always tastes better the next day.

There's a great food and recipes topic on Mumsnet.

My Top Tip, is make it in the morning, or the night before and then let it sit in the fridge (covered) for the day until you evening meal. Put in the cold oven and let it warm up along with the oven before baking and leave to stand for a further half an hour. It won't go cold, will probably be just edible.

Its even better the next day.

I cheat and make lasagne soup

Thank you for your replies. Yes, I have always let it rest but it's never made much of a difference to the sloppiness. I'll give that recipe a go @Ohffs66 and try some of the tips given too. Thanks all!

I'm a really slap dash type of cook, rarely follow recipes etc. I've never had a problem with lasagne going wrong (okay once, when I attempted to make it in a slow cooker, but I was a teenager so a long time ago...).

I don't make in advance or anything. I'm guessing your Ragu is too thin? Do you put a lot of mushrooms in it or courgette? Maybe they are releasing extra water while cooking. You aren't precooking the lasagne sheets are you?

My tip is to make sure the sauce is quite thick, not watery, and build it well in advance of cooking it. I make it around lunchtime in preparation for evening meal, and leave it sat in the fridge, constructed but uncooked until I’m ready to put it in the oven. And yes to leaving it standing for a while before serving.

Lasagne Champ here - my tip is to let the Bolognese part simmer gently on the hob until the sauce has really reduced to being quite thick. Make the bechamel sauce quite thick too. And as a previous poster said, let it stand for a bit before serving.

I agree with the sauce thickness.

Mine has only ever gone wrong if the sauce hadn't been thick enough.

Letting it stand will help also.

What part is going messy, the sauce or the meat bit?

Don't pre-cook the lasagna sheets and layer it meat, pasta, cheese sauce, pasta, meat, pasta, cheese sauce. It takes forever for then pasta sheets to cook through but the extra layer on top of the middle cheese sauce makes all the layers stay apart and makes it nice and firm

How many layers do you do? I find most people who make it sloppy only do a few layers, so there is too much sauce in-between each.

@Fettfrett
You put these sauce in the middle? Not just on the top??

I do a 'deconstructed' lasagne.
Make the mince, make the sauce, cook the pasta.
Mix them all together, and pour into a dish.
Cover with a bit of the sauce and cheese.
Bake.
Less faff and still as yummy.

My mum puts a bit of cornflour in the mince

[quote nancybotwinbloom]@Fettfrett
You put these sauce in the middle? Not just on the top??[/quote]
Yes, lasagne always has several layers of ragu, pasta and sauce.

It just sounds so wrong. I only ever put on the top. I've only ever had it off other people on the top. I am going to try it because the cheese sauce is the best bit.

The main white sauce layer is on the top yes, but I would add Ragu, and a little white sauce and small amount of cheese on each layer. Aim for a lot of layers for it to keep its shape, as many as you can get in a deep dish. Then you will be able to cut a nice big square piece.

I swear by the Gordon Ramsey one too.

The best ragu sauce is left for around 2 hours to simmer to get it really really thick.
I add white sauce to every layer as well as thinly cut mozzarella cheese. Let it stand for at least 15 min before serving.

Yes, lasagne always has several layers of ragu, pasta and sauce

This is how my Italian grandmother taught me to make lasagna.

The secret for me is a smear of bechamel on the bottom of the dish, then a layer of pasta. Then bolognese/pasta/bechamel x2. The bottom layer of pasta absorbs any gloop and the whole thing lifts out well.