Making lasagna this weekend, looking for cooking tips...

[bones22 5,000+ posts]

Now someone mentioned make my own pasta, so let's dive into that, because that would be a new thing for me. I can get fresh pasta nearby from an Italian market (not sure about lasagna pasta yet). It is not much more than the store bought boxed stuff. How difficult is it to make my own pasta? Does it require any special tools or much time? I remember my grandma making fresh pasta as a kid. It looked like a bunch of work.

pasta

eggs+flour

it is messy and takes some time. its best to let the noodles dry overnight but you can cook right away if you want.

if theres a place near you that makes them fresh that would work though

 

[DEdwards 10+ year member]

http://www.dryit.com/pasta.html

easy....You will never buy pasta again

and you do NOT need a pasta machine!!

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

pastaeggs+flour

it is messy and takes some time. its best to let the noodles dry overnight but you can cook right away if you want

LOL you make it sound easy. I don't mind the mess. I was worried about special rolling presses or some shit that I would have to buy. That would be counter productive. I am trying to save some dough, pun intended.

 

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

A couple things for you to consider.

Homemade sauce is way better, but takes time to do right (8hrs-ish)

and it's a project by itself, well worth it though. To me a good sauce

starts with searing a pork bone at the bottom of the pot in some xvoo.

Then onions till translucent, any other stuff like green pepper at the same

time as the onion, but garlic is last and cooks the shortest. I do not

brown the garlic but don't leave it raw either. Then add the peeled,

seeded, crushed (not blended) tomatoes and water, man I can't remember

how much. Simmer at a very low heat until the tomatoes fall apart and dissolve.

That's what I remember. I could be off a little.

Don't forget the eggs! When I prep the ricotta, I add 2 eggs and a little salt

and parsley. When I build layers, I keep the ricotta away from the sauce,

sauce floods it and messes it up (to me).

Full flavor? Consider multiple meats, 1/3 sweet sausage, 1/3 lean ground beef,

and essential is at least 1/3 ground veal (again to me). I like a distinct meat layer

that is soft so I mix these with egg as well and bread crumbs, garlic salt, Italian

spices etc. Cook it up in advance of course. I also keep the meat layer away from

a sauce layer for the same reason as the ricotta.

 

[bones22 5,000+ posts]

LOL you make it sound easy. I don't mind the mess. I was worried about special rolling presses or some shit that I would have to buy. That would be counter productive. I am trying to save some dough, pun intended.

it is pretty easy. you just have to make sure you dont use to much flour or get it to wet.

4 eggs

2 cups flour

would give you enough to make for yourself

 

[schrummy 10+ year member]

well i will be making manacotti this weakend....

hands on > store bought

 

[Hintzyboy 5,000+ posts]

Here's my sauce recipe.

2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes, drained (I like to use fire-roasted ones, but if you can't find those, try to find San Marzanos)

1 12oz can of Tomato paste

Beef stock

1/2 pound italian sausage

1/2 pound ground beef

1 pound Cremini mushrooms (these are immature portabellos. Much cheaper, same great taste, and the smaller size makes it easier to work into a sauce)

1 yellow onion

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I use these because they are nice and sweet and they balance out the saltiness of the sausage. Plus, they add another layer or tomato flavor instead of just using sugar)

6 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper (roast this in the oven at about 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove skin and dice)

2 tbsp fresh Basil, minced

2 tsp fresh Oregano, minced

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1/4 Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Brown the meat. Remove meat from pan and saute onion, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in the fat. Set sauted veggies aside, and deglaze pan with some beef stock. Stir in meat, sauted veggies, roasted pepper, and diced tomatoes. Alternate between adding tomato paste and beef stock until sauce reaches desired consistency and color. Stir in basil, oregano, and rosemary. Salt and Pepper to taste. Let simmer while you build the rest of the lasagna (wait to boil water for the noodles until sauce is finished. The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavors will come together). When you are ready to use the sauce, stir in chopped parsley (wait until the last minute for this. Otherwise, parsley will turn brown and may become bitter).

If you want a less meaty flavor, you can substitute the beef stock for red wine. I like to use Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cabernet. Only costs about $7 a bottle and is actually a pretty decent wine. Never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/ohsnap.gif.17c4c91be09a7a4a3995fb7145adac39.gif

me so hungry

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

A couple things for you to consider.
Homemade sauce is way better, but takes time to do right (8hrs-ish)

and it's a project by itself, well worth it though. To me a good sauce

starts with searing a pork bone at the bottom of the pot in some xvoo.

Then onions till translucent, any other stuff like green pepper at the same

time as the onion, but garlic is last and cooks the shortest. I do not

brown the garlic but don't leave it raw either. Then add the peeled,

seeded, crushed (not blended) tomatoes and water, man I can't remember

how much. Simmer at a very low heat until the tomatoes fall apart and dissolve.

That's what I remember. I could be off a little.

Don't forget the eggs! When I prep the ricotta, I add 2 eggs and a little salt

and parsley. When I build layers, I keep the ricotta away from the sauce,

sauce floods it and messes it up (to me).

Full flavor? Consider multiple meats, 1/3 sweet sausage, 1/3 lean ground beef,

and essential is at least 1/3 ground veal (again to me). I like a distinct meat layer

that is soft so I mix these with egg as well and bread crumbs, garlic salt, Italian

spices etc. Cook it up in advance of course. I also keep the meat layer away from

a sauce layer for the same reason as the ricotta.

I am digging this stuff right here! So when you layer, is it:

cheese

sauce

pasta

meat

pasta

ricotta

pasta

sauce

pasta

sauce

(bottom of pan)

I was thinking of adding the portabellos to the meat layer and the spinach to the ricotta layer. And I do remember that my grandma used eggs in her ricotta as well. Thanks for reminding me of that important step.

 

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

I am digging this stuff right here! So when you layer, is it:
cheese

sauce

pasta

meat

pasta

ricotta

pasta

sauce

pasta

sauce

(bottom of pan)

I was thinking of adding the portabellos to the meat layer and the spinach to the ricotta layer. And I do remember that my grandma used eggs in her ricotta as well. Thanks for reminding me of that important step.

Don't forget mozzarella is a layer too and I can seriously dig it when it's

next to a meat layer //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

And use good mozzarella, not fu-fu stuff in water, but not shredded Kraft either.

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Here's my sauce recipe.
2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes, drained (I like to use fire-roasted ones, but if you can't find those, try to find San Marzanos)

1 12oz can of Tomato paste

Beef stock

1/2 pound italian sausage

1/2 pound ground beef

1 pound Cremini mushrooms (these are immature portabellos. Much cheaper, same great taste, and the smaller size makes it easier to work into a sauce)

1 yellow onion

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I use these because they are nice and sweet and they balance out the saltiness of the sausage. Plus, they add another layer or tomato flavor instead of just using sugar)

6 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper (roast this in the oven at about 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove skin and dice)

2 tbsp fresh Basil, minced

2 tsp fresh Oregano, minced

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1/4 Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Brown the meat. Remove meat from pan and saute onion, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in the fat. Set sauted veggies aside, and deglaze pan with some beef stock. Stir in meat, sauted veggies, roasted pepper, and diced tomatoes. Alternate between adding tomato paste and beef stock until sauce reaches desired consistency and color. Stir in basil, oregano, and rosemary, and let simmer while you build the rest of the lasagna (wait to boil water for the noodles until sauce is finished. The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavors will come together). When you are ready to use the sauce, stir in chopped parsley (wait until the last minute for this. Otherwise, parsley will turn brown and may become bitter).

If you want a less meaty flavor, you can substitute the beef stock for red wine. I like to use Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cabernet. Only costs about $7 a bottle and is actually a pretty decent wine. Never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink

Very good! I might have to try more than one lasagna now! The red wine had totally slipped my mind. I am not sure if I have a bottle of red at home or not. My chick loves pino grigio and rieslings, so I usually do not buy reds.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

this thread makes my tummy tum hurt //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Don't forget mozzarella is a layer too and I can seriously dig it when it'snext to a meat layer //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

And use good mozzarella, not fu-fu stuff in water, but not shredded Kraft either.

The Italian market near me has a good fresh shredded mozzarella that is very low moisture, but I was thinking of going with a Provolone instead. What would you think of that? I prefer Provolone due to the aged flavor.

 

[Hintzyboy 5,000+ posts]

In reality, fresh pasta isn't any better than dry pasta. You just have to be sure that the pasta you buy is made from quality ingredients. Make sure to look for pasta made with Durum Semolina flour. Only real reason I see to make fresh pasta is if you're doing stuffed pasta like ravioli, etc.

This is strictly for plain, flour-based pasta though. For stuff like Gnocchi (little potato pasta dumplings) or pasta with other flavorings, fresh is best.

 

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

The Italian market near me has a good fresh shredded mozzarella that is very low moisture, but I was thinking of going with a Provolone instead. What would you think of that? I prefer Provolone due to the aged flavor.

Sounds good on the store, I'd do a mix of the 2 cheeses. And do 3 layers of it not just top and bottom.