How Many Layers Is Your Lasagne?

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Charlie,

Thanks so much for posting your ricotta spinach Vegetarian Lasagne for us.

I am going to give it a try next time I prepare it.

Kind regards.
Margi.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Bolas,

Cool sense of humor ... The bowl of home made "cawl ", I was having for lunch just spirt out of mouth !

Very chilly here today and the cawl I made is lovely !


Kind Regards.
Margi.

 

[CharlieD]

@ Charlie,

Thanks so much for posting your ricotta spinach Vegetarian Lasagne for us.

I am going to give it a try next time I prepare it.

Kind regards.
Margi.

You are welcome Margi.
What I do is I take 6 cups ricotta cheese (if it is not available I have used farmer’s and cottage cheese too, works well with all of them).
Two cup per layer. I grill or bake red bell peppers until the skin gets black and is easily to remove. Separately I sautéed mushrooms with onions and season to my liking. I use frozen defrosted spinach, that I live it as is. I end up with 2 cups of each ready/finished product. I mix the each ingredient in the food processor with cheese and some seasoning if need be + one egg. Separately of course, thus the name: Tri Color Lasagna. You can grade them as coarse or as fine as you like, I do it pretty fine, because I do not like peppers, my wife doesn’t like mushrooms and my kids do not like spinach, when mixed/chopped finely nobody is complaining. The rest is simple, assemble, bake, last 10 minutes of baking or so I add some graded cheese on the top, my wife likes cheddar, I like mozzarella, a lot of times we end up with half and half. When serving I like to sprinkle some graded parmegiano regiano. One question about Lasagna folks, mine comes out watery right away, I was told by the chef who gave me the recipe to leave it in the fridge until the next day and reheat before serving, and then it is nice and firm. Do you have this kind of problem or is it only mine?

P.S. I like to add some jalapeño peppers to red bell pepper mix, makes it spicy, but we like it that way.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Charlie D.

Thanks so much for the recipe. I truly appreciate it.

Refrig To Firm : I do not have this problem, however, do be more cautious with all the ingredients you are using, including the lasagne sheets ( pasta ) and the draining of the lasagne too and the spinach --- large water content there. Do place the tray in the refrig, so it compacts and is more firm ... I am the Lasagne Queen ! Another point is: pat dry with absorbent paper towels and strain all well ---

I believe this is where the problem is ... the cheese: strain well too. I hope this helps.

My Oven Temperature: 375 farenheit and oven rack in middle position & preheated ...

This can be another item to explore ?

Too much butter or milk for the Besciamella or Bechamel ?

I am going to prepare it next week ( Spain´s Labor Day 1st - 5th ) while off on holiday ... With Kadesma´s Italian Shepherd´s Soup ...

Kind regards.
Margi.

Margi.

 

[CharlieD]

Let me know how it comes out. I thing the bigger problem (sorry I will be braging right now) is that half of the time I only get a little pice of it for myself, as everybody else really likes it and usually by the time I get home most of it is gone.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Charlie,

I believe you should prepare a larger Lasagne then, with no less than seven layers ...

I use a 13 x 9 inch enamel lasagne pan no less than 2 inches deep ( I use one that Chef Mario Batali recommended to me many years ago when I lived in Manhattan ). His 1st restaurant is close to my where my Grandmom Margherite lived, in the West Village.

Definitely shall let you know how your spinach vegetarian lasagne comes out.

Got to run,
Margi.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Charlie,

I am inclined to think, that what the problem is; I bake my lasagne 45 minutes ... How long are you baking yours ? Seems too little time.

The refrig to chill should be 4 hours ---

Off to Supermarket.
Margi.

 

[CharlieD]

I too bake at 375 for about 50 minutes. Most likely I do not drain spinach enough.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Charlie D.

Just reporting in on the delicious Fresh Spinach Lasagne Recipe ... Firstly, made my own Lasagne Sheets, and my own Ricotta. I combined the Ricotta with Fresh Spinach ( blanched a few seconds ) with fresh Ceps ( Boletus Eduli ), Buffala di Mozzarella and Pecorino Sardo ... DYNAMIC. My final 7th layer was home made Besciamella ( Bechamel ).

Have a wonderful wkend.
Margi.

 

[CharlieD]

Awesome, it sounds like much better idea than mine.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Charlie D.,

Thanks for compliment ... It is the Mediterranean products ... Have you watched the series Two Greedy Italians - BBC TV ? ( they can be watched on You Tube - Two Greedy Italians Series ). And quite funny too ... as well as quite emotional ... Each segment is a bit different ...

I believe you shall appreciate this series. Bolas had sent it to us here at Forum, and now I am following. Fascinating, about two men in their upper 60s or early 70s, who travel the backroads of regional Italy and visit: dairy makers, inns, trattorias, farms, wineries, boutique hotels, butchers, fish mongers and farmers ... Breathtakingly beautiful scenery and the products are amazing ... Very innovative ...

*** See Post of Bolas in Ethnic Cuisine.

*** I am going to post A Spinach, Cep & Homemade Ricotta Lasagne ...

I did not do anything special, just the Mixture in between the layers was made with home made Ricotta, fresh spinach blanched and the ceps were sautéd and drained of the evoo --- then, the top layer home made Besciamella white sauce, no meat whatsoever, and it was fab !

I shall document and post.

Many thanks again,
Margi.

Have nice day,
Margi.

 

[Skittle68]

I like the idea of mixing mushrooms, peppers, spinach and cheese in the food processor. I bet that would add a lot to the texture. Yum!

 

[CharlieD]

Howdy neighbor. It really does. As I mention before I never liked lasagna before until I tasted this one. It really is good. And I bet with Varieties of regular cheeses available it can be even better.

 

[Addie]

I like the idea of mixing mushrooms, peppers, spinach and cheese in the food processor. I bet that would add a lot to the texture. Yum!

Wouldn't you ned some sort of moisture to spread it? Like some of the sauce? Or would you just dollop it on like you would the ricotta?

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Addie,

Ricotta is quite spreadable when at room temperature --- and put in Food Processor with Pecorino, Buffala di Mozzarella ---

However, Skittle prepares her´s quite different than I do.

I personally do not combine the vegetables with the mushrooms, nor the cheese. I have three aspects: 1st: the ricotta, pecorino and buffala di mozzarella mixture with only the spinach or the spinach in my dough, for a spinach lasagne
2ndly: the mushrooms sliced and intact, which were sautéed
3rdly: the veggie combination

The ricotta mix is a cheese spread; which is spread on the lasagne sheets, then, the veggies on top spread. The mushrooms are placed on top of that, and then, another sheet layer of lasagne sheets ...

Have lovely day.
Margi.

 

[Addie]

Most Americans dollop their ricotta mixture on the noodles. I have found they make the mixture with too much moisture and as a result it runs out when cut and served. I prefere my ricotta mixture a little bit thicker and spread across the noodle. That way everyone get some of it and it doesn't run out the sides when cut. I also lay my noodles in opposite direction with each layer. Easier to cut neater squares for serving.

Years ago I found at a yard sale, a square spatula with teeth on the end. Perfect for cutting lasanga and serving. I am surprised my daughter hasn't claimed it yet as her own.

 

[Gravy Queen]

I'm starting to feel inadequate with 2 layers. I start off with meat/filling at the bottom, then a layer of pasta sheets (however many it takes to cover), then meat/filling, then pasta, then topping.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'm starting to feel inadequate with 2 layers. I start off with meat/filling at the bottom, then a layer of pasta sheets (however many it takes to cover), then meat/filling, then pasta, then topping.

Haven't you heard? It's not the size that counts, it's how you use those layers.

Seriously, I am no longer able to have all that pasta, the rest of the meat sauce and cheese I can eat all day. So a two layer would be the right amount of pasta.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Addie,

I would never dollop anything on top of anything ! Not my style ... If I am going to cook, I do it from scratch with care. Otherwise, I hop off to a restaurant of choice, as I truly enjoy that too ... or go to a Tasca and have a glass of wine and a typical Tapa or Calamari or grilled Langoustines = large Prawns ...

I place my Ricotta, Pecorino & Buffala di Mozzarella Mixture Spread, directly spread onto the layers of the home made Pasta --- and I make my own Ricotta ( See: Cheese Section and it so easy, a baby can make it ! )

I had learnt from my Italian Paternal Grandmom and the French cooking from my Mom and I attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute for perfecting ... The rest from courses from time to time as I enjoy and years of practice.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Princess Fiona and Gravy Queen,

Nothing wrong with a small two layer Lasagne Ladies,

I do a 7 layer, as the two of us, ( Lasagne-Oholics & Cheese-Oholics ) have a heated up Square for lunch during our laboral week ... and thus, this provides both of us with lunches when weather is nasty especially, or otherwise, I prefer to get out for lunch, then sit in Office and The Vet same ... or a quick dinner during week ...

So gals, have nice day.
Margi.