Lasagna is perhaps the quintessential feed-a-crowd casserole. Of course, there are as many different ways to make lasagna as there are Italian mothers, but this is how I like to do it. Although it is not true, lasagna is undoubtedly more time-consuming than spaghetti — but it’s oh-so-worth-it, occasionally! I was so intimidated by lasagna before I tried it because it looked like a process that would take up my entire day.
This recipe is a cross between a completely homemade lasagna and one that incorporates pre-made ingredients. I cook the meat and make my own sauce, but I substitute dried pasta for fresh, homemade pasta. If you use jarred sauce, you can make lasagna faster than this. But I really like to make my own sauce if I’m going to the trouble of making a lasagna in the first place.
This is a serious lasagna. It’s extra-deep, cheesy, meaty, and extremely chunky with beef and sausage (you’ll need a deep pan!).
Making ahead: This lasagna can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered. It can also be frozen, before baking. If it was frozen, bake the lasagna as described above after letting it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time to let it thaw, lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the center is steaming hot.
This recipe was modified from one in my book, Not Your Mother’s Casserole Cookbook, which Harvard Common Press will release in January 2011.
Since 1990, Rachel Lovejoy has been writing professionally. She currently publishes short novellas for Amazon Kindle in addition to her weekly column, “From the Urban Wilderness,” for the Journal Tribune in Biddeford, Maine. Lovejoy earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Southern Maine in 1996.
Put the big pot on high heat with the water in it. Add salt, if desired, or omit. Add a generous splash of the vegetable or olive oil after bringing the water to a full rolling boil.
Because the outer edges of pasta change into a glue-like starch when they are submerged in hot water, pasta frequently sticks together while cooking. Due to their larger surface area compared to other pastas, the issue is more severe with lasagna noodles. Use a large enough pot and stir the lasagna noodles constantly during the first few minutes of cooking because the larger surfaces don’t let the water circulate as well as with other types of pasta. The outer starches are set as a result, making them less likely to stick. By forming a slick film between the noodles, adding a little vegetable or olive oil to the water also aids in the process.
As soon as the water returns to a boil, add the lasagna noodles all at once and stir them with a spoon or chopstick to keep them apart. Keep stirring until the noodles start to soften slightly.
Any decrease in heat will result in the lasagna noodles becoming mushy, so keep the water boiling just long enough to prevent boil-overs. When the lasagna noodles are pliable but still chewy, they have been cooked for 8 to 10 minutes, or to the al dente stage.
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Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil in order to prepare the noodles for a delicious lasagna. Add the noodles to the pot once the water begins to boil, stirring them constantly for two minutes to prevent them from sticking to the sides. After that, allow the noodles to cook for 8 to 10 minutes while occasionally stirring them. When the noodles are soft but not mushy, they are prepared. Before adding them to your lasagna, drain them into a colander and allow them to cool. Continue reading for more advice, including how to keep your pot from boiling over.
To that end, err on the side of undercooking traditional boiled noodles if you’re going all out. Rick Martinez, an associate food editor, says that four to five minutes will suffice. Keep in mind that you will be baking them in a hot oven to cook them once more.
Your lasagna will dry out if you leave it in the oven unattended. For a portion of the baking time, fight back with a foil-topped tray. Remove the foil from the lasagna once it has baked for halfway so the top can brown. Turn on the broiler to help the process along if, after it is fully cooked, the top still appears pale. However, watch out for the casserole because it can burn easily. Get Cooking Now That You Know How to Make Homemade Lasagna!
Chris Morocco, senior food editor, advises that the first step is to choose the type of dish you want to prepare. “It just isn’t a real lasagna if you’re using no-boil noodles, which I occasionally do.” Its a baked pasta dish. Hey, we get it—no-boil noodles can be a lifesaver when you’re short on time. Due to the lack of texture and flavor in no-boil noods, be sure to amp up the flavor and bring the big guns with your sauce, cheese, and seasoning.
Do not, we repeat, do not, dump the just-under-al dente noodles in a colander to drain in the sink while you prepare the sauce and cheese. They’ll quickly clump together, and that’s just not good. Instead, after draining the pot, arrange each noodle flatly on a baking sheet that has been greased or stacked between sheets of parchment. It takes a little extra time, but its worth it. 3. Skipping the Béchamel Sauce.
There is nothing like a good pan of lasagna. This might be the ideal comfort food: ooey, cheesy, hot, and loaded with carbohydrates. But if something goes wrong, we’re talking soggy noodles, soupy sauce, and gummy cheese. You deserve better than that, and so does this casserole. Learn how to make homemade lasagna perfectly—every time—by avoiding these common mistakes. 1. Overcooking the Noodles.
FAQ
How do you get the water out of lasagna?
Our best recommendation is to use a colander to drain and rinse the cooked noodles. Once the majority of the water has evaporated, carefully dry each noodle by placing it on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper, dabbing it with a paper towel, and allowing it to air dry.
How do you keep lasagna noodles from sticking together?
Boil water like you normally do when cooking lasagne sheets. But this time, stir ferociously in a whirlpool-like motion to whip up a whirlpool in the water. In this manner, the whirlpool action will stop the lasagna sheets from sticking to one another when you add them to the boiling water.
Should I drain my lasagna?
It’s crucial to thoroughly drain the noodles before baking lasagna to prevent watery results. The cooked noodles should be drained and rinsed in a colander to accomplish that. Each noodle should be taken, shaken of excess water, and laid flat on wax paper until the majority of the water has evaporated.
Do you drain fat when making lasagna?
Drain beef. Draining the fat from the skillet is essential for your lasagna layers, which will already have a lot of fat from cheese. We’ve all been guilty of being a little lazy and skipping this step when making a meat sauce, and we always regret it because the sauce tastes so greasy.
