Making vegetarian lasagna?!
Answers: Im trying to make lasagna for the first time and i'd like to know if i should cover the lasagna to bake or leave it uncovered. whats the difference? will it cook better covered? does it cook better in microwave/oven? how do i know if its cooked? wont it spill over? i will be using a 13x9 baking pan. how thick should the lasagna be? thanks
Personally, I like to cover in foil. But it is a matter of taste - what happens uncovered is the top gets very crispy. I like a layer of nice, soft stringy melted cheese on top, so I cover to prevent it from browning and turning crisp. You can also cover it for the cooking time, and then uncover it for the last 10 minutes or so to achieve a nice browning but not getting too crispy.
I usually do 3-layers of noodles with the stuff in between, and I have never had it spill over. Most receipes are going to bubble just a tiny bit, so just don't fill the pan to the very top. You need just a little room. A typical lasagna needs to cook 45 minutes to an hour in the oven. I think oven is much better than microwave.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
1 lg. jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. broccoli, well drained
1 lb. spinach, well drained
Mushrooms, well drained
1 lg. carton cottage or ricotta cheese
1 egg
Parmesan cheese
Noodles
Spread a layer of spaghetti sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan, then a layer of noodles. Mix together broccoli, spinach and mushrooms. Spread over noodles. Mix together cottage cheese, egg and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Spread over vegetable layer. Another layer of noodles. Spread remaining spaghetti sauce, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cover tight with foil and bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
1 medium eggplant, fresh
1 pkg. frozen spinach
1 pkg. lasagna noodles
1 pkg. (pint, sm. one) low-fat cottage cheese
1 jar Favorite meatless sauce
1 sm. pkg. Mozzarella lite cheese
Salt and pepper
Several plump tomatoes
Parsley flakes
Defrost spinach, drain as much water out with a colander as possible. Cut eggplant in rounds thinly sliced, lay on paper towels and lightly salt, lay another paper towel on top and continue layering with eggplant rounds, salt, paper towel etc. Place a heavy pan on a cookie sheet on top of stack, let sit for at least 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Cook lasagna noodles until tender. Mix cottage cheese with spinach in a bowl, salt and pepper and season to taste. In a casserole pan, spread a light layer of sauce. Add layer of noodles, layer of eggplant, sauce, layer of cottage cheese, spinach mix, another layer of noodles and repeat process until pan is full or desired height achieved. Top with remaining Mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and cover evenly with thinly sliced peeled tomatoes. Sprinkle on parsley flakes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, until eggplant is soft and has changed a brown color.
Lasagne is generally 3 layers high. If you are using no boil noodles then cover it until the last 15 minutes of cooking. Covering it is a good idea in any case but I would uncover it and let it settle after baking.
1. Start baking covered then toward the end of cooking time uncovered. This makes for a nice slightly crisp top.
2. It will cook better in an oven.
3. The easiest way to test -without using a thermometer - is to take a knife, insert knife into center of lasagna - slightly touch the knife to just below your lower lip - you can judge heat by that method it it comes out cold (not done) comes out warm (needs a little more time) comes out hot (done)
4. It is possible that some of the juices will spill over - simply put your pan on a cookie sheet to catch any spills.
5. You could build the lasagna all the way to the top of the pan - the more layers the better.