Thread: Lasagna help

Silvar Beitel wrote:
> Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> lasagna. You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> back to the dish.
>
> Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> defined by comparison. Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. (Presentation
> secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> of painted cardboard :-) )
>
> --
> Silvar Beitel


Slice it cold for the photograph, the day after you make it. HTH :-)

Bob

On Feb 2, 8:54*am, Silvar Beitel <silverbee...@net1plus.com> wrote:
> Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> lasagna. *You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> back to the dish.
>
> Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> defined by comparison. *Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. *(Presentation
> secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> of painted cardboard :-) *)
>
> --
> Silvar Beitel

Maybe letting it cool for 15 min or so before cutting would help it to
set up a little more...

On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:54:37 -0800 (PST), Silvar Beitel
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
>lasagna. You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
>slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
>perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
>back to the dish.

If you want picture perfect, ask this in alt.binaries.food too. I
wouldn't want so much mozzarella... but that's me. I like ricotta.
>
>Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
>to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
>defined by comparison. Not exactly dinner party material.
>
>So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. (Presentation
>secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
>of painted cardboard :-) )

I've been using the no-boil lasagna sheets and they help a lot; but I
think the only thing you can do to get what you want is to make it the
day before. Lasagna seems to set up overnight.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

In article
<[email protected]>,
Silvar Beitel <[email protected]> wrote:

> So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. (Presentation
> secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> of painted cardboard :-) )

It slices better cold, so I think you're kind of stuck with messy
slices unless you want to serve it cold or reheated.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

sf wrote:
>
> On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:54:37 -0800 (PST), Silvar Beitel
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> >lasagna. You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> >slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> >perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> >back to the dish.
>
> If you want picture perfect, ask this in alt.binaries.food too. I
> wouldn't want so much mozzarella... but that's me. I like ricotta.
> >
> >Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> >to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> >defined by comparison. Not exactly dinner party material.
> >
> >So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. (Presentation
> >secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> >of painted cardboard :-) )
>
> I've been using the no-boil lasagna sheets and they help a lot; but I
> think the only thing you can do to get what you want is to make it the
> day before. Lasagna seems to set up overnight.

Making home made full sheet pasta helps as well. With full sheets you
don't have gaps and overlaps, and the much softer home made pasta
conforms to the layers better to prevent slipping and sliding. It's
really easy to make and also requires no boiling since fresh pasta will
readily cook in the bake and absorb moisture from the fillings next to
it.

Setting up overnight, definitely, but if you want to serve it today, a
longer bake at a lower temp will help it set more.

On Feb 2, 12:00 pm, zxcvbob <zxcv...@charter.net> wrote:
> Silvar Beitel wrote:
> > Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> > lasagna. You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> > slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> > perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> > back to the dish.
>
> > Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> > to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> > defined by comparison. Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> > So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. (Presentation
> > secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> > of painted cardboard :-) )
>
> > --
> > Silvar Beitel
>
> Slice it cold for the photograph, the day after you make it. HTH :-)
>
> Bob

You have a future as a food photographer, Bob. Maybe not so much as a
cook :-)

Although ... that's not a bad idea, since lasagna is one of those
things that seems to improve with age. Cool it overnight, slice it up
into individual portions, low-oven reheat before serving. Yeah,
that'd probably work.

--
Silvar Beitel

"Silvar Beitel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> lasagna. You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> back to the dish.
>
> Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> defined by comparison. Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. (Presentation
> secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> of painted cardboard :-) )
>
> --
> Silvar Beitel
Undercook the pasta before you assemble the dish. Overlap the pasta slices.
Don't use so much sauce. Cook the completed lasagna the proper length of
time. Let the lasagna rest for 'at least' 10 minutes after removing from
the oven. The last step is really important. The lasagna I made last night
worked out perfectly. This morning I cut the remainder in two and put each
piece in 9x5, non-stick bread loaf pans. One will be frozen for later.
The other pan will be reheated in a slow oven this evening.
Janet

On Feb 2, 10:54*am, Silvar Beitel <silverbee...@net1plus.com> wrote:
> Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> lasagna. *You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> back to the dish.
>
> Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> defined by comparison. *Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. *(Presentation
> secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> of painted cardboard :-) *)
>
> --
> Silvar Beitel

You always have to make time to let it rest - if you cut it when it's
just out of the oven, it will always be sloppy.

N.

On Feb 2, 11:00*am, zxcvbob <zxcv...@charter.net> wrote:
> Silvar Beitel wrote:
> > Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> > lasagna. *You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> > slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> > perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> > back to the dish.
>
> > Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> > to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> > defined by comparison. *Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> > So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. *(Presentation
> > secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> > of painted cardboard :-) *)
>
> > --
> > Silvar Beitel
>
> Slice it cold for the photograph, the day after you make it. *HTH :-)
>
> Bob- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Really, I was going to suggest that - it always holds together after
it's been chilled. ;-)

N.

On Feb 2, 11:54*am, Silvar Beitel <silverbee...@net1plus.com> wrote:
> Looking for suggestions for getting "magazine-picture-perfect"
> lasagna. *You know, the standard photo where a perfectly rectangular
> slice is being pulled away from the dish, with perfect sides showing
> perfectly delineated layers, and fine strands of mozzarella flowing
> back to the dish.
>
> Whenever I make it (and it has been quite a while, so I couldn't begin
> to supply a recipe for you to critique), it seems to be sloppy and ill-
> defined by comparison. *Not exactly dinner party material.
>
> So, advice, recipe, whatever would be appreciated. *(Presentation
> secondary to good taste, of course, so don't tell me to build it out
> of painted cardboard :-) *)
>
> --
> Silvar Beitel

Cross hatch the noodles. That is, lay one layer east to west, the
next north to south. Let it sit about 10 minutes before attempting to
serve. Use very sharp knife and right sized spatula to remove that
piece.
A decent lasagna takes 3 days. Friday night, make your sauce and
meatballs or braciole. Saturday, build the lasagna. Let rest - then
bake on Sunday. That's MY system, anyway.