Preparing lasagne in advance

[RachelHRD]

Got 8 for lunch on Sat and doing a big lasagne. Normally I cook on the day but not going to have time. Is it better to do the meat sauce in advance, refrigerate and then do the white sauce and assemble just before cooking, or prep the whole thing and refrigerate uncooked or just cook the whole thing day before and then reheat on the day?

If cooking from cold how long do you reckon in the oven. I normally put it in for about 25 mins @ 180 when cooking on the day but it's already hot. If reheating is it better to cover with foil so it doesn't over brown?

I wouldn't think twice about this if it was just for us but I'm always overly cautious when cooking for others!!

Thx!!

I've had the pasta curl when the lasagne has been assembled and not cooked, so I'd fridge the meat, and white sauce (with clingflim touching the surface to prevent a skin forming), assemble on the day, and then cook 15-20 longer, at a slightly lower temp.

Somehow I don't really like reheated pasta, but the alternative would be to part cook, and then finish cooking, and heat it on the day.

Hope you have a good catch up with everyone.

Assemble and cook in one day, and then reheat the next day. Make sure, obviously, it's piping hot and piping hot all the way through. (You may need to cover it with foil to make sure that the top doesn't burn)

Lasagne is much better cooked this way!

I cook then chill then reheat with foil on

I wouldn't build in advance if not going in the freezer - I find it all goes a bit sloppy messish and doesn't cut nicely if not built and popped straight in the oven.

I prep in full and then cook from fridge for 45 mins on the day, but my lasagnes are always v sloppy anyway.

I find the opposite. Lasagne eaten the day after looks better, is firmer and tastes 10x better. I'd cook and refrigerate to reheat the next day.

Wow thanks - some varying but great advice!!

I know what you mean Gwen about it tasting better on the 2nd day - DH always comments that he prefers it reheated as it's tastier so maybe cooking and then reheating with foil on is the way forward. I'd do it for us that way without thinking about it so need to be braver and more assured about my cooking abilities!!

4 of the 8 are under 5 so no guarantees it'll be eaten by them but I can but try! I can guarantee the garlic bread will be devoured anyway!!

In a rare watching of This Morning, Gino D'Acampo made lasgane and his top tip was once it was cooked remove from the oven and leave it for 10 minutes this stops all the filling sliding out of the pasta sheets.

In a weird google for this of how to spell Gino's surname, I have found a video clip of him making it!

Please ignore the inane oohing by the audience, it drove me insane.

here

I always make enough for left overs for lunch the next day and I swear it tastes better and more firm.

I build the whole lasagne using fresh lasagne sheets and then freeze uncooked and then defrost over night in fridge and then put out on the side in the morning and then bake that evening. It works a treat and then you're not cooking it twice! I would consider making it in two smaller dishes to make sure it cooks through....

If Gino is as good at lasagne as he is with omelettes then it will.be delicious.

Thx for the link - interesting!!

After all that and a big shop on Friday I realised I didn't have space in fridge or freezer to store it overnight so I made the meat and white sauce this morning and then assembled and cooked it when they arrived and because the meat sauce had simmered for over an hour it was much tastier than usual and equivalent to a double cooking!!

Went down very well with the adults although the fussy kids weren't quite as convinced !!