Question about Lasagna?

[CharlieD]

Lasagna is Italian, right? So it is ethnic, right? So this is right forum, right?
Anyway, I was on this site, let’s leave the name out, and they have recipe section. And they have lasagna recipe. Guess what they suggested as filling ingredient?
Celery.
I almost exploded. Well, I did exploded, in a matter of speaking. Pan intended.
My question is, was I wrong?
But how could I have been wrong? Celery, who puts celery in lasagna? It’s crazy. Completely crazy.
Please tell me know I wasn’t wrong. Please.

[jennyema]

IMO, you'd have to be clinically insane or playing a practical joke on the eater to put celery in lasagna.

Unless it was finely diced and in mirepoix used in making a homemade sauce.

[Andy M.]

It would be an unusual ingredient for a lasagna filling.

However, if the recipe was for a bolognese style lasagna, a mirepoix of celery, carrots and onion could be part of the meat sauce for the lasagna.

[CharlieD]

It was meatless lasagna. Which is fine. I actually do not like lasagna with meat, just like i do not like meatballs. Both give terrible hear burn. Meat tomato sauce combination. That's besides the point. I do like meatless lasagnas. But celery. To me it seems like a cheap substitute for some normal filler.

[Kayelle]

I'd have to agree that celery seems odd. It has a strong flavor, and I wouldn't use it but hey...just another example of "my kitchen, my rules".

[CharlieD]

Originally Posted by Kayelle

I'd have to agree that celery seems odd. It has a strong flavor, and I wouldn't use it but hey...just another example of "my kitchen, my rules".

I agree with "my kitchen rules", but only if you (not you personally) keep this to your kitchen. Going on public forum and present the recipe as "must do" is different story.

[CraigC]

Celery, maybe in the sauce. What about a Mexican themed lasagna? I made one a few weeks ago using a recipe from "Patti's Mexican Table". It did not use tortillas for "noodles" but what we would use in an Italian lasagna.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

...Going on public forum and present the recipe as "must do" is different story.

Charlie, all recipe posts are described with superlatives. "Best Ever!", "The only crab cake recipe you'll ever need", etc. You have to learn that these value judgements are worthless. I limit my recipe sourcing to sites I respect.

[CakePoet]

Well celery is used in the meat sauce, you chop carrots, celery and onion in small pieces. It makes the meat sauce yummier . That is how my Italian friends has taught me to make the recipe and I mean people born in Italy , who been cooking with nona.

[larry_stewart]

Being a vegetarian, Ive eaten my share of meatless lasagna's , and ive never come across celery ( nor would I consider it in a recipe of my own, unless as suggested above, was part of a larger sauce).

Spinach, mushrooms, eggplant, squash, onions ... definitely. Celery? to each their own.

[CakePoet]

I should say the sauce cooks for 4 hours and that makes it just smooth sauce, so you might eaten celery with out knowing it. it is called soffritto in Italian and in French mirepoix.

[CharlieD]

Originally Posted by larry_stewart

Being a vegetarian, Ive eaten my share of meatless lasagna's , and ive never come across celery ( nor would I consider it in a recipe of my own, unless as suggested above, was part of a larger sauce).

Spinach, mushrooms, eggplant, squash, onions ... definitely. Celery? to each their own.

Thank you. Agreed. And no, it was not in the sauce and no there was no meat.

[Rocklobster]

My first wife was Italian from Calabria..back when I was in my 20's is was just getting into cooking so, when I made her lasagna I put celery in the tomato sauce..she ate it, and the next time I said I was going to make it she spoke up and said do "not" put celery in it ever again..lol

[caseydog]

I use celery a lot. I like it. But, in a lasagna, the texture would be wrong, IMO. I can see it working with a pasta dish, but not lasagna.

I'm thinking that Garfield would not approve of that lasagna.

CD

.

[CakePoet]

What texture? When cooked for 4 hours it soft and blends into the sauce if you stir.

[CharlieD]

Originally Posted by CakePoet

What texture? When cooked for 4 hours it soft and blends into the sauce if you stir.

Who cooks lasagna for 4 hours?

[RPCookin]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

Who cooks lasagna for 4 hours?

Talking about the sauce.... quite normal for that.

[jennyema]

Celery would also give off too much water as it cooks ...

[CharlieD]

Originally Posted by RPCookin

Talking about the sauce.... quite normal for that.

I know what CP was talking about, however that was not was the question was and I pointed out twice that it was meatless lasagna. And considering that person is using celery as filling, do you think that person would bother cooking sauce for 4 hours?

[blissful]