Proper lasagna is a faff..

[BarrelOfOtters]

it is though.

I don’t meaning dumping jars of dolmio in a slow cooker. But a proper ragu and roux.

Thanks all. I think I’m going to start off by spending a miserable autumn day to do a large batch of ragu, cooked for several hours. I can then have a go at doing an individual lasagna and freeze the rest for doing spaghetti bolognaise, chilli, Jacket potatoes (and more lasagna if I like it!).

We love a homemade lasagna but yes it’s a faff. I make double quantities and freeze the other half. We don’t have it often but when we do, we really enjoy it.

I made the mistake of making a proper lasagne for a bookclub lunch that i hosted.

OMFG. It took hours and hours and hours.

And i made too much.

Microwaved well for the Dcs though.

I suppose it is a faff but not difficult. DS loves it so offers to walk the dog on nights I make it, to give me more time.

Also, it is by far the nicest way to eat gluten free pasta, and I have never liked any lasagne as much as the one I make, either from a supermarket or a restaurant (I do realise taste is entirely subjective!).

I enjoy the 'faff'.
Had the afternoon off so I've literally just put a big batch of beef shin ragu to slow cook. Going to have some with pasta this eve and freeze the rest.
(I do cheat by whizzing up the soforitto in the food processor!)

Yep this, I’m responding because just at this minute the last portion is defrosting in my microwave for tonight’s tea. I’ve had a busy day, can’t be arsed to cook, looked on my freezer list of batched cooked options and got an attack of “oh, I really really fancy that lasagne tonight”
it’s an especially proper one as made for guests - ragu with full works of wine, mirepoix and a homemade beef stock form a previous roast…

aren’t you glad you asked, op? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Totally making lasagne this weekend, faff or no faff. It’s all I can picture now! Might take a photo of the debris. Also liking the look of the veggie spinach and cottage cheese one.

I find that my tolerance for faffy meals is not always very scientific. So I don’t mind at all standing relaxedly over a risotto and stirring for ages. I really resent the few minutes it takes to wash lettuce. I get annoyed about the messy potato masher but will happily deal with fish bones and innards. I always feel like I’m bossing it to start with when making lasagne but I just get achy feet standing around with the giant vat of bechamel I seem to need for batch cooked high volume lasagne. And I have to get the big nonstick pot down from the top shelf and take out the freezer blocks that live inside it for storage. The effort!

My kitchen is always a mess during the process, but the results are worth it! 😛

It takes a while but I wouldn't say it's a faff. It's actually a pretty straightforward meal to make. I make a lasagna about once a fortnight, and having got used to home made, anything shop bo

I’d add, 2 methods I use for getting it done quicker

1. you can shave time off the ragu cook with a pressure cooker. It works a treat to replace that long 2 hour gentle simmer and means you can go out 🤷🏼‍♀️
2. I also always use Delia’s cheats method of bechemel- wack the milk, flour, butter into pan togther, gently heat , very gently , whisking all the time as butter melts into flour and milk. If you’ve not tried this folks, give it a whirl …it’s fail safe, saves a load of time to go full French roux way. Use exactly same ingredients and proportions . Used it for years now do all roux sauce needs.

Oops! Shop bought just doesn't compare. Even the deli along my road which sells individual portions isn't quite up there with making it at home.

DidnRick pinch this method form delia ?
or is that a chicken and egg problem?

Yes. I haven’t made it in years, even though it is very nice. I used to make Delia’s version complete with chicken livers in the ragu.

Bloody right, I barely make it because of this reason. Plus my kids hate it, although both love carbonara and a spag bol

After many many years, I'm done with making a roux. I make the ragu (adulterated with pancetta) in the pressure cooker or in a cast iron casserole dish to stick in the oven for a couple of hours, then mix together ricotta, crème fraiche, a spot of Dijon mustard and Parmesan instead of a bechamel sauce, and layer up.

Me too! Love that cook book

Yes, it’s a major faff. And a vegan lasagne, which I made just once - the ‘guts’ of it being about half a ton of chopped mushrooms - was even more so.

Less of a faff but IMO still not by any stretch faff-free is a proper shepherd’s/cottage pie, a favourite of dh which he thinks is ‘simple’ because he’s never made one.

Fish pie is another. A really nice one is worth it IMO though. We usually have one on 🎄Eve. Must contain white fish, smoked haddock and prawns (you can keep the salmon), a dash of white wine plus parsley in the sauce, and lots of mash with plenty of cheese on top. 😋

Not really. Make bolognese sauce and leave it to simmer while you do other stuff. When it's done, make a cheese sauce with the all in one method which takes about 5 mins. Layer. Shove in oven. Job done.

I always use Delia's lasagne al forno recipe.

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/italian-recipes/lasagne-al-forno

It is indeed a massive faff and very messy. Worth it for a dish that feeds crowds but I wouldn't do it on the regular.

I love cooking lasagne from scratch if I have the time!

Yes that's what I do. I linked her recipe just above.

I definitely need to make and freeze some lasagnes now. Added bonus of any left over bechemal sauce is that you can use it to make croque monsieurs, which also freeze well.

nooo it’s so easy. I buy the chopped carrot, onion & celery from the freezer section, it saves so much time. I then put the bolognese in the oven for a couple of hours. Clean up, make the white sauce and by the time I put it in the oven it everything has been put in the dishwasher and cleaned away. It’s one of my most favourite things to make. Then at the end all you have to clear away is the plates.

Those of you who freeze it, what do you put into? I only have one lasagne dish and don't want it in the freezer for weeks lol

My lasagne from scratch is the family favourite here. It is a bit of a faff but always worth it.