Lasagna with Fresh Pasta - Page 4

Oh no leeniek, you've brought up the inflammatory words "from scratch" and now you'll get all kinds of debates and will be dared to make something from scratch without creating the world first lol.

It would make sense that if canned tomatoes taste good then so can canned tomato sauce taste good.  But it doesn't, and I haven't found any that I like.  So it's just simpler to to throw some canned tomatoes in a pot with olive oil, garlic, onions and herbs to create something tasty. 

I brought my husband up to speed in regards to this thread on lasagne and pasta

this boy swears up one side and down the other that he's not a foodie..

he says to me, "I prefer that you make your own sauce with meatballs and sausage in it; then make pasta from scratch; then make lasagne and oh while you're at it you haven't made me any ravioli for a long time, how 'bout you get on the ball."

WHAT?!  ARE YOU KIDING ME?!

 Disclaimer: he was half joking, he loves to tease me, but he does love my cooking, he says I' so much like his Mother, AAAAHHHHH!!!  Now there's the compliment of the decade!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaneohegirlinaz 

I brought my husband up to speed in regards to this thread on lasagne and pasta

this boy swears up one side and down the other that he's not a foodie..

he says to me, "I prefer that you make your own sauce with meatballs and sausage in it; then make pasta from scratch; then make lasagne and oh while you're at it you haven't made me any ravioli for a long time, how 'bout you get on the ball."

WHAT?!  ARE YOU KIDING ME?!

 Disclaimer: he was half joking, he loves to tease me, but he does love my cooking, he says I' so much like his Mother, AAAAHHHHH!!!  Now there's the compliment of the decade!!

 

If my husband compared me to his mother's I'd slap him.

American-Italian men think that their Mother's are goddess'

What is it called the step above goddess?   

sorry bdl if i steal your thunder....but could it be 'green goddess'? 

joey

Forgiven.

BDL

I think that I like GOLDEN GODDESS !!  Yeah !!

kgirl,

Dea di Oro means 'goddess of gold' in italian.....just so you know

salud,

joey

I kinda like just the dea di (goddess), yeah, that's it !!  ( you gotta love google translate !!)

kgirl,

the italian word for goddess is simply 'dea'...the di means 'of'... i defer to siduri, as she would know best....yes, google is the bomb!

joey

yes, jo,  "dea" is goddess, "di" means of, but if it's before a word beginning with a vowel (oro) it becomes "d'oro"   - dea d'oro - not sure it would be used in the same way as "golden goddess" might be used in english, though. 

Insane phyillo dough lasagna with just ricotta, mozzarella and parmigiano is on the way.

If i fail you will never know.

OK. Not a failure, but not a success either. I used the butter painting technique between layers. Of course, the result was buttery. The lasagna (?) was beautifully crusty outside (the signature of phyillo dough), but pitiful squashy inside, where the phyillo dough almost disappeared and mixed up with the filing. A flavor and texture's unimpressive mess.

Photos are such liars:

How is it that the dough didn't burn on the borders? Ah… a little secret i learned doing a moist Gateaux au Chocolate: spray several times with water while in the oven.

My Nonna came from Grassano and I never remember her cooking a white sauce for pasta.  When I hear Ragu I think of a meatless "gravy".  I grew-up in an Italian-American neighborhood in NY and never ate a red sauce mixed with white.  Actually, the first time I was served that was in "Olive Garden".  We recently visited Italy with our family (all 14) and eat the most marvelous  meals.  Surrounded by history and culture, these are the ingredients that are missing when we try to duplicate them at home. But, it's fun trying and brings back beautiful memories. It has also inspired us to purchase the pasta attachment to our Kitchen Aid. Originally had the hand crank machine and found we used it rarely. With the KA I now make homemade pasta several times a month. Sometimes, I freeze a small portion of the dough for a quick meal for just the 2 of us.

Ricotta is often used for the white layers. Season it some garlic, salt, pepper, basil or oregano. Beating in an egg as well will help give it more structure.

I was looking through one of Lidia Bastianich's cookbooks last night and she made a small lasagna from one long sheet of fresh noodles. She'd drape it back and forth and fill in between each draping layer.

@phatch: The egg's really important. Good tip. Also to squeeze some water from the ricotta.

That noodles "lasagna" reminds me of the Greek pasticio. Rick Stain, in one of the Mediterranean Escapes episode, prepares a great penne (ziti) pasticio.

How about soaking the noodles in hot tap water, the way you do store-bought, no-boil noodles.  I resisted these store-bought ones for years, but have used them recently and really liked them.  I've wondered if they actually aren't more like fresh-made ones, once they are soaked, than the typical store-bought ones.    

wow wow lol i had too much fun reading this thread!

I live in FL, USA, born in Bolivia, my neighbors are from Sicily i think? not sure gotta ask them again, they are nice people and they cook all the time. so the last time i was on their house they invite me spaquetti with a homemade sauce, it was made with eggplant, zuchini, tomatoes, olive oil, and basil, and fresh made pasta, what a delicious difference!  my boyfriend is a gringo from Boston, he likes spaguetti with meatballs and prego sauce, which i hate it, i dont like those commercial spaquetti sauces at all, they are waaay acidic and greasy, yuck!

So i bought a pasta machine and learned how to do noodles and sauces, i love it! and yes i use egg and flour, no water needed. next try will be with the durum flour. 

Thumbs up everyone!

@Ordo, that lasagna kick a$$!  looks delicious!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitufina73 

@Ordo, that lasagna kick a$$!  looks delicious!

So, so. The filling came up tasteless and watery. Need to think about it. The philo crust was really good, tho.

Will check some Greek, Morocan and Indian recipes. I'm pretty sure i will reinvente Bastila.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ordo 

So, so. The filling came up tasteless and watery. Need to think about it. The philo crust was really good, tho.

Will check some Greek, Morocan and Indian recipes. I'm pretty sure i will reinvente Bastila.

Greeks make this dish, they don't call it lasagna, it's called tiropita (cheesepie).  From the picture I can't tell for sure but it looks like the phyllo doesn't stretch across the top of the dish does it?  In a tiropita the phyllo lines the top and the bottom of the pie.  The filling is made with a variety of cheeses, for you I would suggest feta/ricotta/parmesan in a 40/40/20 ratio.  Add beaten egg to the mixture, no salt because the cheeses are quite salty, in fact you can sub out some of the feta for another milder cheese like cottage cheese or more ricotta but careful it doesn't get too mushy.  The mixture should be a little dry, not wet and pasty.  Stir in also fresh mint and parsley and proceed with the phyllo dough.  I'm pretty sure you will like the result much better.  If you're feel adventurous you can also add a bit of fig jam to the mix.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koukouvagia 

 

Greeks make this dish, they don't call it lasagna, it's called tiropita (cheesepie).  From the picture I can't tell for sure but it looks like the phyllo doesn't stretch across the top of the dish does it?  In a tiropita the phyllo lines the top and the bottom of the pie.  The filling is made with a variety of cheeses, for you I would suggest feta/ricotta/parmesan in a 40/40/20 ratio.  Add beaten egg to the mixture, no salt because the cheeses are quite salty, in fact you can sub out some of the feta for another milder cheese like cottage cheese or more ricotta but careful it doesn't get too mushy.  The mixture should be a little dry, not wet and pasty.  Stir in also fresh mint and parsley and proceed with the phyllo dough.  I'm pretty sure you will like the result much better.  If you're feel adventurous you can also add a bit of fig jam to the mix.

Tiropita! It's exactly what i was trying to find. Thanks a lot! 

Hope it works out.  I meant to say the mixture should be a little dry and crumbly, not wet and pasty.  The fresh mint is not optional, trust me there are few combinations better than feta cheese and mint.  Sometimes for a little zing I add some finely chopped scallion or chives.

You are missing out on great Italian restaurants started by Immigrants.  I am sorry you think all Italian restaurants are from American Italians.  But then I do not go to other countries and search for American food.  I go to learn of their cultures and bring home what I learn to expand my culinary knowledge.  If you ever come to NH I have many recommendations that will make you happy you tried them.

Hello! Your comment was very helpful. I am looking to make lasagna this weekend. I want to make my own mozzarela and ricotta cheese. Do you have a recipe for either of those that I can use to make cheese at home? 

When I make fresh pasta it requires 20 to 30 seconds of cooking.  For Lasagna I hand roll  the pasta and cut the noodle as broad as I desire, no need for a machine if you have a pin.  It does not matter if my Ragu is hot or cold.  I bake the Lasagane to 175 F and its generally safe and pleasant to taste. Like regional stews and pates and such the Lasagne is in my taste better the next day.  I have not tried to make the Lasagne with a raw noodle, the poaching cooks the starches so I am happy with that.

However nothing is better than fresh spaghetti noodles ( again cooked for seconds not minutes) served in the Italian manner tossed in butter & a little olive oil, crushed black pepper, a little local Parmesan and crushed fresh garlic, toss all and have fun. Matthew.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ordo 

I guess it's not fine manners to use chopsticks and loudly sip the spaghettis.

 

Its ok if you are  in Korea

Sure. And you can burp in China as well. It's an homage to your hosts.

Not that i like it or do it. No loudly sip, no burps for me. But give me a pork rib and i will use my hands without shame even if i'm in a protocolar meeting.. 

How is this lasagna related?

should not a vegetarian lasagne have no pasta ?? correct me if im wrong but i never use pasta in vegetarian lasagne as it contains egg- in ttead i use finely sliced and grilled eggplant for the replacement of the sheeted pasta and oven roasted pumpkin and zucchini with carrot , onion and garlic sautee ! but when normal lasagne i do use more closer to what simone has said as my base and always pre boil my pasta. however great info people :p