My Home Made Lasagna

[thaigerd]

During my Lasagnas (Lasagni?) are just baking in the oven I have time to post some pics from "The making of....."

Got this recipe yesterday from the best Italian Chef here in Phuket.

The taste and smell are very promising hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Here are some pics:

....and just finished in time the final Lasagna:

Cooking and preparing ime: around 4 hours

using half beef, half pork minced meat

fresh carrots, leeks and celery, onions

tomato paste

a bit of red wine

[madjbs]

I'm not getting any pics.

[seagull]

I'm not getting any pics.

And i am drooling. still waiting.

[dingdongrb]

I'm not getting any pics.

No pics for me either....

Edited May 17, 2008 by dingdongrb

[Andiamo]

Me too - we wanna see pix Thaigerd. I made lasagne the other day and wanna compare!

[thaigerd]

Another try:

[attac

hment=57110:IMG_4045.JPG]

Gerd

[Ubon9]

Congratulation your lasagna look very professional. from a chef point of view. (you made the bechamel sauce?)

[pumpuiman]

Did you use ricotta cheese?.....thats my favorite part of lasagna....ricotta mixed with a little chopped basil.

Gerd, now I'm hungry.....looks like pumpuiman is going shopping.

I'll be eating lasagna for a week.

[onnut]

it looks like airplane food!

[madjbs]

I made a Lasagna this evening after reading this thread, didn't make quite enough sauce though.

BTW, It is very annoying when people quote very long posts!!!

[thaigerd]

@onnut, sorry but I had to buy these alu dishes coz I am freezing a couple of dishes

@pumpui, I've used parmesan cheese when cooking the bechamel sauce

@ubon9, I am a Chef, made the bechamel by myself, wife helping the mise en place, mire poix by myself, even a bouquet garni for the stock for using in the bechamel and the roux with real butter.

[percy2]

@onnut, sorry but I had to buy these alu dishes coz I am freezing a couple of dishes

@pumpui, I've used parmesan cheese when cooking the bechamel sauce

@ubon9, I am a Chef, made the bechamel by myself, wife helping the mise en place, mire poix by myself, even a bouquet garni for the stock for using in the bechamel and the roux with real butter.

Looks great.

I'll have a bash in the week!

Can I put in a request on a blow by blow walk through on how to make Tiramisu

Cheers

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Looks fantastic. I can smell it baking from here. Looks like you found some no-boil lasagna pasta. That greatly eases the preparation. With aluminum pans, I would spread some red sauce, thinned with water, at the bottom of the baking pan, underneath the bottom sheet of lasagna pasta, to prevent sticking, and make serving easier. I prefer using some Italian sausage, in addition to the ground meat, but its not always something I can find at the stores. Thanks for the photo report and good eating!

[seppl04]

@ubon9, I am a Chef, made the bechamel by myself, wife helping the mise en place, mire poix by myself, even a bouquet garni for the stock for using in the bechamel and the roux with real butter.

is this typical chef's talk or just copied out of a french dictionary ???

[thaigerd]

Looks fantastic. I can smell it baking from here. Looks like you found some no-boil lasagna pasta. That greatly eases the preparation. With aluminum pans, I would spread some red sauce, thinned with water, at the bottom of the baking pan, underneath the bottom sheet of lasagna pasta, to prevent sticking, and make serving easier. I prefer using some Italian sausage, in addition to the ground meat, but its not always something I can find at the stores. Thanks for the photo report and good eating!

I've used as a "ground layer" my bechamel sauce to avoid the sticking at the bottom.

For the lasagna sheets I used the normal ready to use ones but keeping my sauce not too thick cause during baking the sheets soaking up a lot from the liquid.

Gerd

[thaigerd]

@ubon9, I am a Chef, made the bechamel by myself, wife helping the mise en place, mire poix by myself, even a bouquet garni for the stock for using in the bechamel and the roux with real butter.

is this typical chef's talk or just copied out of a french dictionary ???

Chefs will know what I'm talking about....

Gerd

[Naam]

i suggest that Gerd should be banned from this forum for making our saliva drooling on keyboards

[dingdongrb]

Did you use ricotta cheese?.....thats my favorite part of lasagna....ricotta mixed with a little chopped basil.

Gerd, now I'm hungry.....looks like pumpuiman is going shopping.

I'll be eating lasagna for a week.

I find that ricotta cheese will tend to make the lasagna dry... I suggest trying cottage cheese and compare the results.. I perfer cottage cheese over ricotta since trying it years ago... (Note: Use the small curd)

[Ulysses G.]

A lot less calories with cottage cheese!

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I've used as a "ground layer" my bechamel sauce to avoid the sticking at the bottom.

For the lasagna sheets I used the normal ready to use ones but keeping my sauce not too thick cause during baking the sheets soaking up a lot from the liquid.

Gerd

I thought you might have used the bechamel to line the pan, but couldn't quite tell from the picture. Did that work out ok? I'd be afraid, with the inconsistent heating of ovens in Thailand, that the bechemel on the bottom might burn.

BTW - great response to the post about using a dictionary to come up with the french cooking terms: mira poix, bouquet garni, roux, mise en place and bechamel.

[Ubon9]

Looks fantastic. I can smell it baking from here. Looks like you found some no-boil lasagna pasta. That greatly eases the preparation. With aluminum pans, I would spread some red sauce, thinned with water, at the bottom of the baking pan, underneath the bottom sheet of lasagna pasta, to prevent sticking, and make serving easier. I prefer using some Italian sausage, in addition to the ground meat, but its not always something I can find at the stores. Thanks for the photo report and good eating!

I've used as a "ground layer" my bechamel sauce to avoid the sticking at the bottom.

"For the lasagna sheets I used the normal ready to use ones but keeping my sauce not too thick cause during baking the sheets soaking up a lot from the liquid."

Gerd

Hi Gerd, next time when you put it in the oven try to cover it with silver foil and 7 minute before ready remove the foil to make it nice and crusty on top.(It will keep more moist inside)

[thaigerd]

Looks fantastic. I can smell it baking from here. Looks like you found some no-boil lasagna pasta. That greatly eases the preparation. With aluminum pans, I would spread some red sauce, thinned with water, at the bottom of the baking pan, underneath the bottom sheet of lasagna pasta, to prevent sticking, and make serving easier. I prefer using some Italian sausage, in addition to the ground meat, but its not always something I can find at the stores. Thanks for the photo report and good eating!

I've used as a "ground layer" my bechamel sauce to avoid the sticking at the bottom.

"For the lasagna sheets I used the normal ready to use ones but keeping my sauce not too thick cause during baking the sheets soaking up a lot from the liquid."

Gerd

Hi Gerd, next time when you put it in the oven try to cover it with silver foil and 7 minute before ready remove the foil to make it nice and crusty on top.(It will keep more moist inside)

I forgot this!

Thanks for our advice and reminder.

Appreciated,

Gerd

[ilyushin]

Ciao thaigerd,

Congratulations! Great work.

Looks really good. We printed the pictures and ate them.

To bad the invention thread can't email this to our taste buds.

Thought I would paste my recipe on your thread for others to compare or use.

I prefer lasagna recipes with Italian sausage and tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, very easy and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Italian sausages

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes or fresh tomatoes boiled and skinned and chopped

2 teaspoons dried basil or fresh

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

2 cans tomato paste (6 ounces each) or if not available use more whole peeled tomatoes as substitute

10 ounces lasagne noodles (10 to 12 lasagna noodles)

3 cups ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes or fresh flat parsley

2 eggs

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper or fresh ground

10 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced

Additionally, I have also used pepperoni and bell pepper and carrots in the recipe.

PREP:

Brown Italian sausage slowly; drain off excess fat. Add minced garlic, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and tomato paste. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, adding a little water if too thick. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water according to package directions. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

BAKING

Place a layer of noodles in bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese then spoon 1/2 of ricotta mixture over mozzarella. Spoon 1/2 meat sauce over the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake for about 40 minutes in a 375° oven.

Always allow lasagna to set a few minutes before serving.

Arrivederci!

[thaigerd]

Nice recipe Ilyushin, sounds good to me!

May be next week I'm planning to do a nice cheese cake, but not sure if a baked one or an easier to make "Cold way" one.

What do you like:

or this one:

Gerd

[ilyushin]

TG,

Both of them.

Look forward to the cheese cake.

The photo of Strawberry cheese cake is fantastic. I wish I could make a cake that looks like that.

I will try to find my recipe for Neptune Fettuccine - use the bechamel sause with shrimp, crab, mushroom and a selected fish. It is on a data traveler some place.

Be good and keep up the great work.

Edited May 18, 2008 by ilyushin

[Samuian]

gerd, is this your weekend torture thread?

Lovely stuff, the first of the cheese cakes reminds me of my grandma's sunday rituals... in summer we always had the second "cold" type... very nice stuff... with passion fruit, it drives my passion mad!

cheers & thanks

inspired in Ko Samui...

[ozsamurai]

As a bachelor I would be interested to know if I could make and freeze this, as its no point making fresh, I know it may offend you sensitivities, but please.... some good freezer dinners for 2.... Tuna Casserole.....

Cheers

[thaigerd]

gerd, is this your weekend torture thread?

Lovely stuff, the first of the cheese cakes reminds me of my grandma's sunday rituals... in summer we always had the second "cold" type... very nice stuff... with passion fruit, it drives my passion mad!

cheers & thanks

inspired in Ko Samui...

Manfred,

may be difficult to understand:

After a week working with all the daily "problems" it's the most relaxing time for me to cook or bake some food at home. Switching off my mobile phone and only doing my cooking.

Just came home and re-heating a Lasagna..... out of my freezer.

Hope to see you soon again, Samui or Phuket.

Gerd

[thaigerd]

As a bachelor I would be interested to know if I could make and freeze this, as its no point making fresh, I know it may offend you sensitivities, but please.... some good freezer dinners for 2.... Tuna Casserole.....

Cheers

Most of the food you can freeze after cooling down and freeze it, same as I do.

I have only a 2flame Thai style cooking oven and a cheap oven but do a lot of food at home.

Gerd

[Andiamo]

Hi thaigerd

Photos look FAB!!! Just got home from eating Italian pizza & "to die for" Tiramisu at Limoncello, Bangkok.

I second another poster's suggestion if you have any truly "to die for" tiramisu recipes to share.....

Your photos have TOTALLY inspired me to try your Lasagne recipe this week and I didn't think but what a great idea to make extra and freeze! I usually just make one great big dish full. Actually I love it cold anyhow!

VERY interested in a Cheesecake recipe and step by step..... is there any way to avoid using gelatin or not?

Once again, thanks for sharing! Good on you. A HAPPY LASAGNE VOYEUR!

Edited May 18, 2008 by Andiamo