Whats the best (in your opinion) way to cook lasagne?!
Bobby Flay's Lasagna
tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds pork shanks (on the bone)
3 pounds beef shanks (on the bone)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound pancetta, finely diced
1 1/2 cups finely diced Spanish onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
4 whole garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups homemade beef or chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 cup tomato sauce, recipe follows
Chopped fresh parsley leaves
Chopped fresh basil leaves
Ricotta Mixture
3 cups ricotta, strained in a cheesecloth lined strainer for at least 4 hours
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Bechamel (Mornay) Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups whole milk, heated
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Assembly:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bechamel Sauce
4 fresh sheets pasta, cooked for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling, salted water, drained or 1 pound lasagna noodles (cooked in boiling, salted water until slightly under al dente, about 5 minutes)
Ricotta mixture
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh basil leaves
Bolognese Sauce
For the Bolognese Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.
Season the shanks on both sides with salt and pepper, place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove the shanks to a plate. Remove fat from the pan. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and lightly golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the red wine, scrape the bottom of the pan and cook until completely reduced. Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and parsley and bring to a simmer. Add the shanks and 1/3 of the pancetta back to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.
Remove the shanks to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl.
Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Place 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a large high-sided saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Add the shredded meat and the remaining cooked pancetta to the pan along with 1 cup of the tomato sauce, parsley and basil and stir to combine and just heat through.
For the Ricotta Mixture:
Stir together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, basil, cheese and salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
For the Tomato Sauce:
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and red chili flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring to boil, season with salt and pepper and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil.
For the Bechamel (Mornay) Sace:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the hot milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened and loses its raw flavor, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk in the cheeses. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some of the remaining milk.
For Assembly:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Ladle a thin layer of bechamel evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of pasta dough, cut to fit the inside of the pan on top of the bechamel and top the pasta with the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Spread a thin layer of bechamel over the ricotta, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Top with another layer of pasta and spread the meat mixture evenly over the top. Ladle an even layer of bechamel over the Bolognese mixture, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Place the final layer of pasta dough over the meat mixture and ladle the bechamel over the top to completely cover the pasta and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 25 to 35 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into slices and top with some of the tomato sauce, more grated cheese and chopped parsley and basil.
Answers: This is a long complicated recipe from Bobby Flay... but if you can pull it off, it is Delish!
Bobby Flay's Lasagna
tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds pork shanks (on the bone)
3 pounds beef shanks (on the bone)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound pancetta, finely diced
1 1/2 cups finely diced Spanish onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
4 whole garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups homemade beef or chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 cup tomato sauce, recipe follows
Chopped fresh parsley leaves
Chopped fresh basil leaves
Ricotta Mixture
3 cups ricotta, strained in a cheesecloth lined strainer for at least 4 hours
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Bechamel (Mornay) Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups whole milk, heated
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Assembly:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bechamel Sauce
4 fresh sheets pasta, cooked for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling, salted water, drained or 1 pound lasagna noodles (cooked in boiling, salted water until slightly under al dente, about 5 minutes)
Ricotta mixture
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh basil leaves
Bolognese Sauce
For the Bolognese Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.
Season the shanks on both sides with salt and pepper, place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove the shanks to a plate. Remove fat from the pan. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and lightly golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the red wine, scrape the bottom of the pan and cook until completely reduced. Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and parsley and bring to a simmer. Add the shanks and 1/3 of the pancetta back to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.
Remove the shanks to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl.
Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Place 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a large high-sided saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Add the shredded meat and the remaining cooked pancetta to the pan along with 1 cup of the tomato sauce, parsley and basil and stir to combine and just heat through.
For the Ricotta Mixture:
Stir together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, basil, cheese and salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
For the Tomato Sauce:
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and red chili flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring to boil, season with salt and pepper and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil.
For the Bechamel (Mornay) Sace:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the hot milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened and loses its raw flavor, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk in the cheeses. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some of the remaining milk.
For Assembly:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Ladle a thin layer of bechamel evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of pasta dough, cut to fit the inside of the pan on top of the bechamel and top the pasta with the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Spread a thin layer of bechamel over the ricotta, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Top with another layer of pasta and spread the meat mixture evenly over the top. Ladle an even layer of bechamel over the Bolognese mixture, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Place the final layer of pasta dough over the meat mixture and ladle the bechamel over the top to completely cover the pasta and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 25 to 35 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into slices and top with some of the tomato sauce, more grated cheese and chopped parsley and basil.
in an oven......tba
baked duh
Baked in the oven with fresh homemade sheets of pasta. I have found that the dry pasta that you don't need to pre-boil produces inferior results.
Use no-boil noodles, layer in pan with sauce mixed with a bit of water, cheese, and meat if you like. Bake for about an hour and enjoy. Made it for my boyfriend once and he's been in love with it ever since, lol :)
this is my personal favorite recipe to use
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/00...
I prefer the old fashioned way for the noodles, boil instead of buying the kind where you stick them in the oven uncooked. You achieve a better consistency.
For a shortcut lasagne, I found a recipe a few years ago that just used cheese ravioli, sauce and meat, it was delicious.
Ingredients:
*1 package frozen ravioli, any kind
*1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
*1 jar pasta sauce
*1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions:
*Brown ground beef.
*In 11x7" pan, layer 1 cup pasta sauce, half of frozen ravioli, half of ground beef and half of cheese. Repeat the layering with 1 cup sauce and remaining pasta and ground beef.
*Top with remaining pasta sauce. Bake uncovered at 425 for 30-35 minutes or microwave for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Cook until cheese is melted.
This is a good recipe when you're in a hurry
For béchamel
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
For pesto and ricotta mixture
1 1/3 cups hazelnuts (5 1/2 oz), toasted and loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel
4 cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 3/4 lb)
3 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2 cups)
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 large egg
1 (15-oz) container whole-milk ricotta
For lasagne
4 lb medium eggplants (4), cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
9 (7- by 3 1/2-inch) oven-ready lasagne noodles (sometimes called "no-boil"; 6 oz)
1 1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Make béchamel:
Cook garlic in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups, about 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and white pepper, then remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Cover surface of sauce with wax paper until ready to use.
Make pesto and ricotta mixture:
Coarsely chop 1/3 cup hazelnuts and reserve for sprinkling over lasagne.
Purée parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2/3 cup oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and remaining cup hazelnuts in a food processor until pesto is smooth, about 1 minute.
Whisk egg in a bowl, then stir in ricotta, 1 cup parsley pesto, remaining teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper until combined well.
Stir together 1/4 cup pesto and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl for drizzling over lasagne.
Roast eggplant for lasagne:
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Oil 2 large baking sheets.
Brush eggplant with oil on both sides, then arrange in 1 layer on baking sheets and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake eggplant, switching position of sheets halfway through baking and turning slices over once, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Assemble lasagne:
Put oven rack in middle position and reduce oven temperature to 425°F. Lightly oil a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (3 quart) and line a larger shallow baking pan with foil.
Spread 1 cup béchamel in baking dish and cover with 3 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets. Drop 1 cup ricotta mixture by spoonfuls over pasta, spreading evenly (layer will be thin), then top with 1 layer of eggplant, cutting rounds to fit if necessary. Make 1 more layer each of béchamel, pasta, ricotta, and eggplant. Spread with 1 cup béchamel and cover with remaining 3 pasta sheets. Spread remaining cup ricotta mixture over pasta, then spread ricotta with remaining cup béchamel and top with remaining eggplant in 1 layer (you may have a few slices left over). Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano over eggplant and scatter with reserved chopped hazelnuts.
Tightly cover baking dish with oiled foil (oiled side down), then set dish in foil-lined pan (to catch drips) and bake lasagne 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let lasagne stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Serve lasagne drizzled with pesto.
Cooks' notes:
? Lasagne can be assembled 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.
? Lasagne can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, then heat in a preheated 350°F oven, covered, until hot, 30 to 40 minutes.
have my brother make it
Go to the freezer section at your local grocery store and buy Stouffer's or Michael Angelo's lasagna. Follow the directions on the containers. Delicious and no mess.
But if you had rather cook it yourself, here are several recipes:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=lasagn...
This one is my favorite but I did change the ingredients a little bit, which I do have listed in the recipe.
Elliot's Bistro Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce
Bechamel sauce (see recipe)
1/2 pound grated mozzarella cheese
I used a large container of ricotta cheese between the layers
1/4 pound grated Parmesan cheese
1 package (16 ounces) lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions (I prefer and used homemade noodles)
4 cups sauteed vegetables (onion, bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, etc.) I used spinach, a little onion, a little garlic and very thin carrot sticks. I have also used only the onion, garlic and browned ground beef. Both are good.
Prepare bechamel sauce.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Mix cheeses together.
In 13-by-9-inch pan, layer as follows, starting with pasta on bottom and taking care to always surround pasta with cheese layers: Pasta, cheese, vegetables, sauce, cheese, pasta, cheese, vegetables, sauce, cheese, pasta, cheese; be sure to finish with a cheese layer on top.
Bake uncovered in preheated oven about 45 minutes. Cover with foil, bake remaining 15 minutes or until done.
Let lasagna cool and then reheat just before serving. This way the lasagna will hold together when removed from the pan. Makes 10 servings.
Elliot's Bistro Bechamel Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
In heavy saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Do not brown flour, but cook it 6 to 8 minutes over very low heat, stirring constantly, to eliminate starchy flavor in flour.
Gradually stir in milk to smooth blend. (Do not use half-and-half; it will break the sauce.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking to sauce consistency, then gradually add add the cheese and finally, the nutmeg.
Makes 3 cups
i use zucchini or eggplant in place of the noodles--i guess that's not really lasagna, but it's really good and different.