Making Lasagna

[JohnRichardson]

I was inspired to make this last night. The balsamella was an absolutely beautiful suggestion!

My version used barilla "home style" no-boil noodles. These are flat instead of ruffled, and are pretty thin. I don't have a pasta machine.

For the balsamella, I added maybe 1/3 C parm-reg to 2 C of thickish balsamella (3 T butter, 3 T flour, 2 C milk, then an extra T of butter to finish (and heavy on the nutmeg :) but I didn't measure anything, I just microplaned some in until it looked good. For the ragu I used half spicy sausage and half ground beef. Mixed 2 cups of mozz with the ricotta and a couple of eggs and some pepper. I colored it up under the broiler after it was bubbling, and it turned out just gorgeous. I took a picture, but it's still on the camera so I can't post it.

Taste notes: add salt to the ragu next time, and next time use all sausage or add some red pepper flakes; the spicy sausage didn't cut through very well. Add more marinara becuase the noodles soaked up a lot of moisture.

[Marlene]

I may have asked this before, but I don't think so. Can I make this ahead of time? Or should the balsamella be made just before constructing and putting the lasagne in the oven? It turned out so well last time, I want to make this for guests this weekend along with a ceasar salad and some garlic bread.

[JohnRichardson]

I may have asked this before, but I don't think so.  Can I make this ahead of time?  Or should the balsamella be made just before constructing and putting the lasagne in the oven?  It turned out so well last time, I want to make this for guests this weekend along with a ceasar salad and some garlic bread.

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I am certainly not an expert, but I suspect it would be best made at assembly time. I guess you could whip up a batch and put it in the refrigerator and see what happens. What does it cost to make balsamella? $1.00 maybe? Or you could make the roux ahead of time and put it in the fridge, but you'd still have to heat the milk, whisk in the roux, and bring to a boil so you're not saving a lot of time I wouldn't think.

[slkinsey]

You can totally make it ahead of time. It will be more "pudding like" right out of the refrigerator, but you can just blop it on there and it will melt in the heat of the oven.

[Marlene]

I think I wasn't clear. I meant can I construct the entire lasagna ahead of time. I wasn't sure what that would do to the balsamella.

[Dave the Cook]

I think the only thing you shouldn't do in advance is the final topping, or any part of the topping that includes cheese or breadcrumbs; they'll just get soggy, and will have trouble getting properly brown. For the rest of it, I don't think it matters. Just take it out of the refrigerator in plenty of time to let it come to room temperature before you put it in the oven.

[slkinsey]

I think I wasn't clear.  I meant can I construct the entire lasagna ahead of time.  I wasn't sure what that would do to the balsamella.

Oh! You should totally be fine with respect to the balsamella component. I probably wouldn'y try this with fresh pasta lasagne al forno, but it should work fine with dry pasta. How long do you plan to hold it?

[Marlene]

I think I wasn't clear.  I meant can I construct the entire lasagna ahead of time.  I wasn't sure what that would do to the balsamella.

Oh! You should totally be fine with respect to the balsamella component. I probably wouldn'y try this with fresh pasta lasagne al forno, but it should work fine with dry pasta. How long do you plan to hold it?

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Probably abotu 5 hours? If I assemble it around 2 and serve it around 7?

[slkinsey]

I think I wasn't clear.  I meant can I construct the entire lasagna ahead of time.  I wasn't sure what that would do to the balsamella.

How long do you plan to hold it?

Probably about 5 hours? If I assemble it around 2 and serve it around 7?

In that case, you should have no worries at all about anything. I thought you were thinking of making it more like 24 - 36 hours ahead of time. If it's only going to be 5 hours, I wouldn't even bother refrigerating it.

[irodguy]

Funny enough I just finished a Lasagna. It's cooling as I type. Basically I had left over meat, sauce & cheese from my holiday party this weekend.

I have been busy making Lasagnas and either taking them to work, or giving them away.

I did mine with balsamella and ragu, no ricotta. Start off with some Ragu then pasta sheets then balsamella then ragu, then a little sprinkled Romano etc. I did put mozzarella on the top for effect.

Everybody loved them and commented 1) how it was much more creamy than a normal Lasagna 2) That it was much lighter. I had many people ask for the recipe.

[baconburner]

ok, ok.  I surrender   .  I've obviously been reading the wrong cookbooks.  This will be on Thursday's dinner menu and I shall report back.

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Marlene

I just made Lasagna for our New Years eve party and got raves. No ricotta or cottage cheese. Just Parmesan Reggiano grated very fine. As previous poster mentioned- Ragu alla Bolognese, Bechamel with nutmeg, Parmesan and fresh lasagna noodles cooked for 30 seconds in boiling salted water. Meat, noodles, meat, bechamel parmesan, repeat. Cook 45 covered and 15 uncovered.

Do a google on lasagna bolognese emeril for the full recipe.

Cheers

Baconburner