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Homemade Lasagne
 

[Closed] Homemade Lasagne

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Can anyone tell me how you get the layers right ?
Every time I try they seem to bleed together .


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:51 am
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What do you mean layers right? It's always going to bleed together a certain amount

However I like my lasagna to be very meaty and not too saucy, so bleeding is limited. I manage this by making the white/bechamel sauce relatively thick, and I reduce the meat sauce as much as possible to remove the water. If in down you can remove some of the water manually before lobbing it in.

Oh yeah, and lots of cheese!


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:54 am
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Cook each layer separately, then simply assemble when cooked. Like a meaty, cheesy, saucy game of jenga


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:55 am
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Ragu first, then bechamel, then pasta. Repeat. Top with more bechamel and cheese


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:55 am
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the key is a very thick Bechemel, and I cool it all down before layering.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:57 am
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Or replace the béchamel with cottage cheese (holds it all together better and tastier) and add a layer of salami under the top layer of cheese and pasta. Had this in Italy a few years ago - delicious beyond belief.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:58 am
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spoonful of gravy granules in he ragu to thicken it up a bit/soak up any water.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:59 am
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Or replace the béchamel with cottage cheese

What kind of a monster are you?!!!


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:02 pm
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spoonful of gravy granules in he ragu

As bad as this monster.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:13 pm
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Can anyone tell me how you get the layers right ?
Every time I try they seem to bleed together .

You are doing it right.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:14 pm
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As bad as this monster.

Hahaha! really...?

Just a cheeky shortcut when time is not on your side.
Pulled pork goes will in lasagne if you fancy a change...


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:15 pm
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Always double cook lasagne, its better the second time.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:25 pm
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I keep them apart with sheets of baking paper which I whip out magician style before serving.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:29 pm
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It's all about the next day sandwich


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:42 pm
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Pulled pork goes will in lasagne if you fancy a change...

You're only making it worse for yourself.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:45 pm
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cook the sauce really slowly the day before, overnight in the fridge and then as warton says a very thick béchamel sauce, but don't worry if there's interspersing between red and white that's ok


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 12:48 pm
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"[i]... add a layer of salami under the top layer of cheese and pasta.[/i]"

Oooh. LIKE.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:01 pm
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Just ditch the bechamel and replace it with an extra pound of cheese.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:25 pm
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I knew a bloke who used to make a fish finger lasagne, by replacing the pasta with fish fingers!

It was actually surprisingly nice 😯


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:28 pm
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I often use creme fraiche (with some parmesan and nutmeg) instead of the bechamel sauce. Very tasty!


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:31 pm
 Drac
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First of all we had Carbonara with cheddar cheese and now Lasagne with Cottag Cheese, what possible horrors could come next I fear to imagine.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:33 pm
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Don't allow the layers of pasta to overlap. This will make sure that it cooks evenly.

That's for the assembly. As for the making the sauces properly, my only recommendation would be to remember to use nutmeg in both the béchamel and ragu.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:35 pm
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what possible horrors could come next I fear to imagine.

Full English Vegan Breakfast ideas?


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:47 pm
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what possible horrors could come next I fear to imagine.

If it goes lower than fish finger lasagne i'm turning the internet off


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:57 pm
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what possible horrors could come next I fear to imagine.

Steamed salmon and sweet potato chips as a replacement for chippy.

Served on a ferrymans apron


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 1:57 pm
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Always double cook lasagne, its better the second time.

Are we just letting this go?

Who has this much self control? Cook a lasagne, let it cool... uneaten, filling the kitchen with smells of lasagneygoodness, emanating from its untarnished crust? Gentle tongues of cheesey steam wafting from its surface tantalising your brain. Rich meaty ragu giving you the eye from under its velvety pasta nightdress, saying "Go on, you know you want to".

Ignore all that and let it go cold.

And then cook it again? and only then consider eating it?


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 2:03 pm
 sbob
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Are we just letting this go?

I was trying to.
Leftovers are proof that your food was substandard.
Which may explain why I'm a bit fat.
I was also taught at an early age by a wise Turk that you don't eat because you're hungry, you eat because it tastes good.
He was very fat.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 2:27 pm
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Dear god! Cottage Cheese? Fish fingers? creme fraiche?

This thread marks a new low for this place.

You people disgust me!


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 2:31 pm
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Before you know it binners, Greggs will be selling salad boxes.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 7:48 pm
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In this thread:

Some of you reprobates are beyond help.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 7:56 pm
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First of all we had Carbonara with cheddar cheese and now Lasagne with Cottag Cheese, what possible horrors could come next I fear to imagine.

This. Reading that I am glad I never opened the Carbonara thread !

OP could be your pasta pre-cooking, too much ? Needs to be a little underdone ime (limited admittedly as I find Lasagne too much of a ball ache and prefer pasta sauce / pasta bake type recipes ). Do layers touch edges of dish, could be sauce leaking around the sides


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 8:09 pm
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limited admittedly as I find Lasagne too much of a ball ache

What kind of monster has lasagne and ball ache in the same sentence?


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 8:20 pm
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You people disgust me!

Here you go Binners, get yourself to Morrison's for an antidote.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/morrisons-foot-long-sausage-roll-price-1-one-pound-pastry-big-daddy-burger-supermarket-a7881331.html

What kind of monster has lasagne and ball ache in the same sentence?

Yeah. Let it cool first.


OP could be your pasta pre-cooking, too much ?

Pre-cooking? One of us has been doing it wrong for years.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 8:32 pm
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I refer all of you to Marcella Hazan's recipe. Takes about 3 hours to make.

Tastes amazing. Every. Damn. Time.


 
Posted : 09/08/2017 11:40 pm
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Dear god! Cottage Cheese? Fish fingers? creme fraiche?

I only said I knew someone who made fish finger lasagne, I didn't cook it myself. His idea of a ragu was mince cooked in tomato ketchup as well!!

In my defence I was drunk when I tried it!!


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 8:29 am
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White/cheese sauce not too thin and I layer meat sauce, pasta, cheese sauce, and repeat.

Probably committing some sin layering in that way but works for me.

The biggest problem I find is ensuring I have enough meat and cheese sauce. I often make too much of one and not enough of the other.

and +1 nutmeg!


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 8:53 am
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You're doing it right mate. Are you using fresh pasta? If not the dried stuff is okay, but soak it in cold water first and it softens up and is easier to work with.

Had lasagne made with Rabbit when we stayed about 10 miles south of Rome in the countryside and it was possibly the nicest thing I've ever eaten.


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 9:07 am
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Cheese sauce? CHEESE sauce? CHEESE? SAUCE? In lasagne?

Have a word with yourself deadkennysenior.


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 11:36 am
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First of all we had Carbonara with cheddar cheese and now Lasagne with Cottag Cheese, what possible horrors could come next I fear to imagine.

Dairyleasagne


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 11:40 am
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OMG! I've been doing it wrong all these years!
I've only ever put the while stuff in on the final layer.


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 11:46 am
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The worst abomination I've experienced was lasagne containing thick layers of cream cheese (it was in the US)...


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 1:29 pm
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I would have replied yesterday OP but I was genuinely busy making a lasagne.

To avoid 'bleeding' leave your bech to cool whilst your ragu has a final half hour without the lid on to reduce down until it is thick and glossy.

Assemble - meat, pasta (not pre-soaked,) bech, parmesan, meat, pasta, bech, parmesan, meat, pasta, bech, parmesan, parmesan, parmesan.

It'll need an hour in the oven for the dry pasta sheets to cook through so cover with foil if the top starts to darken too much.

Yes there were leftovers. There are just 2 of us and I made enough for 8 people so there is enough for dinner tonight then a bit for the freezer.


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 1:46 pm
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ourmaninthenorth - Member 
Cheese sauce? CHEESE sauce? CHEESE? SAUCE? In lasagne?
Have a word with yourself deadkennysenior.

It's optional 😀

And typically I'll use mozzarella if there's some lying around needing using up. Make far less thick of the white sauce and melt mozzarella into it until the sauce is nice and stringy.

But many just layer mozzarella with the rest. Some don't use a white sauce at all, just mozzarella layers.


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 2:17 pm
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I made the ragu with slow cooked brisket last time, no one gave a **** about the layering!


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 2:26 pm
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Make lasagna using yesterday's left over chili con carne; mmmmmmmm..... Spicy lasagna cheesy yumminess.


 
Posted : 10/08/2017 9:30 pm
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