i have never made lasagne before, but want to give it a crack as i love it! so is the pre-made dolmio pasta stuff ok to use! or should i be making my own! and if so, how do you make it! also, how do you flavor your mince! and is it just a standard cheese sauce (ie butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper and cheese)! and to feed four people how much mince/pasta/cheese sauce would you use! and what layers do you do! ie pasta mince cheese sauce x 3 or pasta mince, pasta mince, pasta mince cheese sauce pasta! etc
retired,
Jun 7, 1:19am
I only make Alison Holst's Lazy Lasagne now.It is so simple and very tasty
tigerlilly16,
Jun 7, 1:45am
I don't use cheese sauce, but have a layer of cottage cheese in the middle and just sprinkle grated cheese on the top, I boil a whole packet of lasagne noodles till just cooked, and cook about 700g of mince and add a jar of pasta sauce to it (which is fine, there is enough assembly stuff to do when you make lasagne without making pasta sauce from scratch) Then i do a layer of noodles, half the meat, another layer of noodles, cottage cheese with sometimes another cheese like parmesan or feta for flavour, more noodles, the rest of the meat sauce, then any remaining noodles and grated cheese on top, heat in mod oven for about 1/2 an hour or till it looks brown and bubbly. This makes 6 generous serves.
There really is no right or wrong way to make lasagne it's all down to personal taste and whether you can be bothered doing umpteen diferent processes, or you just want to do it simple ie if I had the time and inclination to make a cheese sauce i possibly would and i would pour it over the top, but I figure there is already enough flour and fat in the lasagne with the pasta and cheese that it doesn't need more so I just sprinkle cheese on if you do a search of 'lasagne' on the left hand side date last year I'm sure you will get many suggestions, though this might just confuse you more as I said there's no right or wrong way go with your instincts, and if it's not how you like it do it differently next time.
lomosie,
Jun 7, 2:46am
If you buy the lasagne sheets in the box (forgotten what label) red box wide flat sheets, the box has a recipe on the back which I always use, its great butI think lasagne is always best the next day cause the flavours come out over time.
sarahb5,
Jun 7, 2:50am
That's a lot of questions!
Not sure what you mean about the Dolmio pre-made pasta - I use Barilla lasagne sheets and it doesn't need precooking.
Standard cheese sauce - I use 250ml milk then butter, flour and cheese as well as a shake of cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and mustard powder.
500g of mince for 4 people here.Fry an onion and 3 crushed cloves of garlic until soft, add the mince and cook until browned.Add two cans of chopped tinned tomatoes and some Italian herbs.(I keep mine simple because that's the way we like it but you can also add baby spinach between the layers).I leave the mince to simmer while I make the cheese sauce and it should be quite thick.
I usually do half the mince, a couple of Tbsps cheese sauce, layer of pasta, a bit more cheese sauce - enough to thinly cover the pasta.Another layer of mince, sauce, pasta and then the rest of the cheese sauce.Sprinkle with grated tasty and parmesan cheese.Bake at 180 for about 35 - 40 minutes.I leave mine to rest for 10 minutes out of the oven because it makes it easier to cut.
ibcreative,
Jun 7, 3:29am
And me.
angel361,
Jun 7, 3:30am
do you guys do the alison holsts recipe in a croc pot or in the oven! If in the croc pot does it actually work and turn out, i have a round croc pot!
pigletnz25,
Jun 7, 6:36pm
ibcreative wrote:
And me.
and me would'ent bother with any other now, its just so qick and easy.No making cheese sauce and all that bother,don't even need to cook the mince. YAY made one last night and hubby took a big helping for lunch today.
pigletnz25,
Jun 7, 6:37pm
angel361 wrote: do you guys do the alison holsts recipe in a croc pot or in the oven! If in the croc pot does it actually work and turn out, i have a round croc pot
In the oven, the receipe is in her and Simons mince receipe books. Actually I think it says Simon's lazy Lasange receipe. lol
seniorbones,
Jun 7, 6:38pm
I have a devine recipe but its very time consuming and only make when people are coming, otherwise alison holsts for just us is good enough, although spinach in the cheese sauce is nice.
karenz,
Jun 7, 8:17pm
The big square lasagna pasta sheets are fine, just make sure your meat sauce is a bit runny so the sheets don't dry out too much.For 4 people I would cook 500gms of mince in some oil or butter until it is very well cooked, then either remove and push to one side, add more butter or oil and cook onion and garlic until clear, at this stage you can also add finely chopped carrots (and celery too if you like it) or sliced mushrooms.Then add two tins of tomatoes, salt, pepper and herbs (I use oregano and basil). Make the white sauce and add a handful of grated cheese (cheddar or Edam) and 2 tblspns of grated parmesan, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg (this should be reasonably thick). Put one layer of pasta sheets in a lasagna dish and spoon 1/2 meat mixture over, then spoon 1/2 cheese mixture over, you can cover this with a layer of spinach, either freshly cooked or defrosted from frozen, then another pasta layer, the rest of the meat and the rest of the cheese mix. Top with another pasta layer and cover with grated cheese including more parmesan and gently bake until the cheese topping browns slightly.You can substitute cottage cheese for the cheese sauce.
rosiemoodle,
Jun 7, 8:28pm
oven
chooky,
Jun 8, 5:53am
Made one for tea tonight. Cooked mince in crock pot while I was at work. Use pre cooked sheets, minted peas, silverbeet, and cottage cheese with chives, in layers and grated cheese on top. Its yummy, freezers well.Was a food in a minute recipe on tv, dont ever make the normal one now.
sarahb5,
Jun 8, 5:36pm
If you use the baby spinach you don't have to cook it first - much easier.Also, do you find your pasta on top is OK with just having grated cheese on top or does it go crunchy!I put cheese sauce over the top of the pasta and then grated cheese because otherwise the pasta seems to burn and go hard.
olwen,
Jun 8, 5:44pm
I like barilla pasta sheets from Countdown.They are made in Italy.I also use the Barilla bolognese base. (Barilla is not dear and does come up on special)I normally add some onion as well as mine to the sauce.Use ricotta, or maybe cottage cheese as the cheesy layer.Mix it with an egg and maybe some grated cheese (mozzarella is good, or use cheddar).I used quark the other day because it was in the reduced to clear sectio, Rachel Ray dips the dry pasta into cold water, and I've done that.If you have time to make it and leave it to sit for a few hours before you bake it that's good.When you take it out of the oven Leave it for 10 minutes before cutting.
retired,
Jun 8, 7:01pm
Alison Holst's Lazy Lasagne first appeared in her Cooking Class Book I published in 1986 and has been a favourite in our house ever since.
karenz,
Jun 8, 7:45pm
Sometimes I do use a bag of baby spinach, don't even have to cook it but always have the frozen stuff in the freezer as a standby.Yes I have had the top layer of pasta go too crunchy, I mix some cream with tomato paste, puree or some of the liquid from the tomatoes and put that over the pasta before putting the grated cheese on, or use some of the cheese sauce,
lythande1,
Jun 8, 9:47pm
I loathe the dried sheets. I make my own. I layer with a homemade bolgnese sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Add silverbeet leaves in the layers sometimes.
malp,
Jun 8, 11:06pm
As above I layer, cheese sauce, sheets (from the deli section in supermarket - not from a box), mince mixture and then heaps of veges in layers as well, thin sliced pumpkin, carrots, parsnips, silverbeet straight from the garden, peppers just about anything really.I have a really big, deep dish to layer in.I also find the lasange looks better and holds together better the next day. With all the veges it looks pretty impressive and hubby and children tend not to know how many veges they are eating. You can leave out the pasta and just layer with veges like eggplant as well.
oooooowwwwww,
Jun 9, 6:31pm
wow there are some amazing ideas in here, thanks guys! i am going to try it with cottage cheese as suggested, and silverbeet as well, was thinking of adding grated carrot and courgette to the meat (so that the kids and other half don't see them in there lol). I cant wait, i havent had a great lasagne in so long! will let you all know how it goes! :)
peasandlove,
Jun 9, 6:49pm
yes that's the best recipe I've tried too, the san remo small packet
karenz,
Jun 9, 9:58pm
I have also made it with the cottage cheese and spinach layers plus a layer of ham, after having tried it in an italian reastaurant (though theirs was made with a traditional cheese layer not cottage cheese).It was really nice too. There is a recipe I have from a very old italan cookbook which has pork mince, chicken livers, diced bacon, carrots and celery, along with onion, garlic and tomatoes as the meat llayer, it has nutmeg instead of herbs.
biggles45,
Jun 10, 12:39am
+1. I have made the pasta and you can tell the difference, but you really need a pasta machine or it will take forever rolling and rerolling to get it smooth enough. I use about 600gms mince for 4 people and layer starting with mince, then pasta the cheese sauce. Heaps of grated cheese on top too.
angel361,
Jun 10, 1:05am
pigletnz25 Which recipe do you use! thank you
winnie231,
Jun 10, 3:42am
This is Alison Holst's lasagne recipe that pigletnz25 and others have mentioned .
Lazy Lasagne
We are very proud of this very easy lasagne, which Alison created, and which requires absolutely no precooking. We know that many thousands of families have enjoyed it since it was first published.
For 4-6 servings: 500g minced beef or lamb 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp each basil and oregano 1 425g can tomato purée 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 x 45g packet tomato soup mix 2 tsp instant beef stock powder or 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups hot water About 3 cups small lasagne shapes or long lasagne strips 1 cup grated tasty cheese
Topping 2 tsp cornflour 1 egg 3/4 cup milk 1 cup grated tasty cheese paprika
Preheat the oven to 180degC.
Measure the first seven ingredients into a food processor or bowl. Add the hot water and process until well blended or mix with a fork and/or potato masher until everything is combined.
Spray or butter a 23cm square or 25x20cm rectangular ovenware dish or a suitable roasting pan or foil dish. Spread one third of the meat mixture evenly over the bottom, followed by a layer of half the lasagne noodles. Sprinkle over half of the grated cheese. Repeat this layer and cover with the remaining meat mixture (you may like to use more than a third of the meat mixture for the top layer).
Bake immediately, uncovered, for 50 minutes, or cover and microwave on High (100% power) for 30 minutes.
To make the topping, mix together the cornflour, egg, milk and cheese. Pour evenly over the cooked mixture, sprinkle with the paprika if using and bake, uncovered, at 150°C for about 10 minutes until the topping sets or microwave at 50% (Medium power) for 10 minutes.
Leave to stand 15-30 minutes before cutting into squares or rectangles. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Cut into serving-sized pieces and wrap in cling film for freezing. Reheat in a moderate oven or microwave.
Serve with a green salad and with warmed, crusty bread rolls, if you like.
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