How do YOU make lasagne? I know people vary, interested to see the differences

[MamaG]

Basic ragu type thing - but inauthentic - onions, beef mince, tinned tomatoes, red wine, bay leaf and simmering for at least 3 hours. Make huge batches and then freeze some for spag bol. Then white sauce with cheddar and mascarpone in it. Then I do my layers:

Cheese sauce
Lasagne sheets
Meat
Lasagne sheets
cheese sauce
Meat
Lasagne sheets
Cheese sauce on the top.

If I have any mozzarella I sometimes put some of that on top of the last cheese sauce.

I make a basic sauce - fry onions, add mince, and 2x cans of toms, tom puree, garlic, basil & oregano. Splash of red if it's around and open. Leave to bubnle whilst make sauce. Melt butter, add flour, then slowly add milk and then add cheese - something with a bite depending on what's in fridge. The meat suace, lasagnes, meat sauce, lasagne, then cheese sauce. Cook!

Use dried lasagne sheets that DO NOT need soaking.

not to much cheese
nto too tomatoesy
simmer milk forcheese sauce in a ionion celery bayleafpepercorn combo first

I'm veggie so we don't do the meat ragu, but basically we do our filling (aubergine + smoked cheese/lentil ragu/mushroom + spinach etc.) and layer with white (ie non cheese containing) béchamel sauce and lasagne sheets. Last layer = white sauce topped with cheese (flakes of parmesan or pecorino or mozzarella or smoked scamorza).

I also use the no precooking lasagne.

Mince, tinned tomatoes, bit of tomato puree, beef oxo cubes, Worcestershire sauce, oregano
Cheese sauce - basic cheddar

Meat - lasagne - cheese sauce - meat - lasagne - cheese sauce - grated cheddar

My meat sauce is pretty much same as claricebeansmum (minus the garlic as DH doesn't like it), with puff coddy's white sauce, (minus the celery coz we don't like it)- for white sauce, chunky chop one onion, add bay leaf and peppercorns, heat to simmer then cool. put lid on and leave for as long as possible. strain out onion, bay and peppercorns. melt butter, add flour, add milk slowly etc. When thickened add one small teaspoon of english mustard and dash of worstershire sauce or mushroom ketchup (depending on if veggie version or not).

For layers, I start with lasagna then meat, white sauce, then grated cheese, then lasagna, meat, white sauce, topped with parmesan / mozzarella / cheddar - whatever I have at home.

Also, found the green lasagna is easier to snap into shape of my dish (tends not to be so brittle) and tastes good too.

bechamel! knew it had a name!

Mine is a trade secret

I use a white sauce though, not a cheese sauce, and grated cheese on top (a mix of parmesan, mozzarella and cheddar)

I do a nice vege spinach, feta and pine nut one that has no tomato in it.

Veggie version, red sauce is just tomatoes, mushrooms and onions (coz the veggies in my family don't like many veggies) but simplicity is nice...then I sneak in a layer of fresh baby spinach leaves for added goodness. Just needs a bit of squashing!

i use white suace mixed in with the meat sauce and layer lasagne, sauce, lasagne, sauce, lasagne CHEESE sauce
yummy

and once made a veggie one with spinache and a sauce with parmezan and pine nuts. it was fab but the kids hated it!

Im veggie and do a lentil and spinach one...sounds vile I know but its lovely! I boil split lentils; fry onions and garlic seperately and add carton of passatta to them, then add cooked lentils. I then layer this with defrosted spinach/lasagna sheets/very cheesey cheese sauce ( a bit of mustard in the sauce perks it up)in whatever order looks right. Sprinkle with a spot of cheese on top and cook for 30/40 mins.

I do a veggie tomato sauce with chopped up onions, courgettes, peppers and carrots. Sometimes I add red lentils too.

I made the Simon Rimmer one last weekend that says you should use cottage cheese for the cheese layer instead af making a white sauce - Not that impressive though - shall use white sauce in future.

Simmer meat-based sauce for a long time
Use bechamel, not cheese sauce - little bit of cheese on top

mm interesting thanks

one MUST have some bacon or pancetta in the initial onion and carrot sweating mix. It is the Law.

I agree with suzywong's law! (All hail suzy)

I'm ALWAYS right, you know

Ragu- mince,passata,onion,garlic,courgette, mushroom,carrot, broccoli, oregano, tom ketchup, simmered for as long as poss.

Bechamel with gf flour, nutmeg, mature cheddar

Orgran mini lasagna sheets

Ragu, lasagna, ragu, bechamel, lasanga, ragu, bechamel, lasagna, mix remaining bechamel with egg, mozzarella and top.

Leave for an hour or so before baking.

oh eys agree re bacon
makes it smokey
and infuse the milk guys

I whirl a teaspoon of french mustard into the cheese sauce at the same time as putting in the cheeses, for an extra 'kick'

I often do mine with minced lamb instead of beef with herbs,garlic, onion & whatever suitable veg I've got, usually leeks, layer it lamb, bechamel, lasagne, repeat & top with cheese & herbs.

cannot believe noone has mentioned adding a tin of baked beans! I add beans to lasagne and bolognase and its delicious!!!!