Your tips for making the best lasagna ever!

[VerityBrulee]

I love lasagna but rarely make it as it's such a faff! I'm going to make one today for my birthday dinner so need your expertise to make it totally delicious

Yes, the trick to ensure dried lasagne sheets cook is to add lots of ragu and loads of cheese sauce, it needs to be fairly wet.

Red wine eh? why not white wine?

Add red wine
Top it with Cathedral City

But what do I know, I use jar white sauce (smack my hand)

Well thanks for all the advice

Ragu has been cooking since 10.30am, about to make a big pot of béchamel, with nutmeg and bay leaf. Have mozzarella to dot on the béchamel and large chunk of parmesan to grate over the top.

The question is in what order do I layer?

mince
pasta
sauce
minca
pasta
sauce
cheese

gavel.

notice that extra italian layer of 'minca' in the middle there

gives it that 'je ne said quoi' Madame

I was just about to start a lasagne thread, and saw this one - so can I hijack slightly please ?

Anyone tried to make a lasagne with pork mince only? My parents don't eat beef and are coming for lunch on sunday. I am dying to do my favourite lasagne recipe which the kids will be guaranteed to eat (Delia's - with pancetta, red wine, sauce cooked for AGES, plus I add cheese sauce), but know my parents will be about the beef.

Any suggestions, or will I just have to do something totally different?

I chuck any (quality) mince into a lasagne. I didnt know it had to be one or the other?

I would think its equally delicious with pork mince.

Oh good, will go for it. Do you think I'd need to amend recipe at all, or stick with the norm, only with pork?

I make two at a time - one to eat and one to freeze.
The frozen one always tastes lots better. I'm not sure if it's because the flavours have time to mature [poncy chef emoticon] or if it's more enjoyable because it is faff free.

If I have enough mix, I make mini frozen ones for the DCs to share on nights when they are eating without us.

One last (hopefully) question. I normally make it, cook it and eat it straight away IYSWIM (and freeze a spare fully cooked one).

On sunday I am planning to make it first thing (9 am ish), then leave it out half cooked for a few hours, and then put it in the oven at about 1pm for 40mins. Will this be ok?

It will be fine, so long as you cook it until it is piping hot all the way through.

I make Lasagna with chicken most of the time as Dh prefers it. I cut the chicken quite finely and then simmer it with the same ingredients I would use if I was making it with beef mince (passata, red wine, garlic, onions, mushrooms, oregano, little bit of chilli flakes) then layer it with bechamel and mozzarella.

I put sundried tomatoes in the ragu, a big slosh of balsamic vinegar and a massive dollop of mustard in the bechamel.

Mmmmm lasagna.

The key to making a good lasagne is add plenty of garlic and herbs to the sauce and cook the sauce for at least 15 minutes also always sprinkle cheese in between the layers.

Delia uses a small amount of chicken liver in her ragu - makes it really rich.