Cooking For Engineers

[Johnnyc]

I am seeing people talking about lasagna made with bechamel sauce, but I don't see a recipe for it. Can someone please supply me with a recipe? Thanks, JC

[Guest]

Hi,

I've tried baking both lasagne - one using ricotta chees and another bechamel sauce and I prefer the latter. The final difference would be the grated cheeses a combo of parmesan and mozarella.

Thnx for the wonderful recipes also the informative comments too.
Appreciate them.

[cathybritfl]

Only the Americans use Ricotta cheese and no bechamel sauce, it is dry and gritty, it is disgusting. Super Walmart was the only supermarket that sold a layered frozen layered lasagne (correct spelling) with no ricotta cheese and a bechamel sauce under the Sam's choice label. Of course it was discontinued because Americans wouldn't know good if it smacked them in the face. You can use a simple white sauce and melt mozzarella and mild cheddar into the sauce while cooking and before you make the layers. For a vegetarian version, Quorn is the best substitute. Ground Quorn has no flavour of its own. It takes on the flavours of the dish especially with the right seasonings ie making sure that you add light sprinkling of italian herbs on top of each bechamel sauce layer, which makes it perfect for a vegetarian version.

[MaterialisticEngineer]

Look, it's not like it's called 'Authentic Italian Lasagne.' People from countries that are smaller with less diversity can have just one typical recipe for a dish but in countries in North America there is so much diversity and people are so far apart you can't have the food police controlling every recipe.
Just look at American barbecue. It's different in the different states, even if they are in the south and on the east coast.
Also you can reduce the fat from sausage by draining the fat that has rendered out before adding any liquid.
I am from India and there are so many ways to make a single dish as long as the main ingredients are the same each home has it's own spices and methods.
It has Lasagne, tomatoes, meat cheese, just call it American Lasagne and be done with it.

[RestorerCR]

What a lovely website! The original step by step procedure is definitely by a kitchen engineer ! Thanks to all with good input, Looking forward to some of these variations. Hi to all the bigots and pinheads too!

[Guy in College]

This recipe worked great, but also in the end I too ran out of sauce but was able to spread the last layer thin enough to cover the top. In the end it tasted pretty good came out a bit more watery than expected. Think i will try to evaporate or simmer the sauce a bit longer. Went good with my floormates and even the girl next door haha. This and the dark choco brownie recipes are bomb! Thanks for making my first yr in college a bit easier!

[Angela]

I was reading the posts and one guy from Italy said they never use ricotta in Italy. I beg to differ. My Grandmother came from Italy and she always used ricotta cheese in Her lasagna. Also always use at least three cheeses in it. I use ricotta, mozzarella and grated romano (I like the stronger taste). Most people use parmesan.
In the ricotta I mix one egg, some parsley and a little salt and pepper.

[Timmo]

This is a variant on the Cooks Illustrated recipe, which I'm making tomorrow; I was just checking to see if there were any variations.

I've made it before for a crowd, it's easy and delicious, and I generally do a one-and-a-half recipe in a larger pan. To add insult to injury, I add a tub of marscapone to the ricotta layer, the fat-phobic Aussie above probably wouldn't approve. I actually served this to an Aussie friend when she was visiting me, when she got the recipe to cook for a party at home, she said she just couldn't do the marscapone. It kinda makes it, I just eat a smaller piece.

For this round, I just finished making my own ricotta, which was incredibly easy, and will be VERY fresh.

It's not true that no Italian would put ricotta in lasagna, while it IS true that no NORTH Italian would put ricotta in a lasagna. I've read South Italian recipes that contain it. I make a traditional lasagne bolognese with a bolognese sauce and a balsamella sauce and a spinach/saffron pasta that I created, and it's delicious, but it also takes forever (especially if you make your own beef stock for it, which I do...if I'm going to take a day to make a dish, I'm doing it right).

This version is very down, dirty, easy, quick and everyone loves it.

[Guest]

[Tuscan Chef]

I don't know where this idea of mozzarella and ricotta to the lasagna comes.
It is probably a merging of the pasticcio to lasagna. Using the some of the pasticcios ingredients to do a lasagna.
lasagna base is bechamel sauce. Vegetarian lasagna adds various vegetables, non vegetarian adds bolognese sauce.
Lasagna is from Emilia, there is no mozzarella there but there is parmigiano.

[Guest]

Who cares how they cook it in Italy, this is good too. Fusion cuisine is usually better than "authentic" dishes anyway.

[anonymous12121]

This is a good recipe, forget origins. Hell, the poster's last name is Chu...does that mean he can't make a good Lasagne? His recipe makes an excellent dish and reminds me of my Grandmother's Lasagne recipe...and she also mentioned "Carnivale"...is it possible that this fatty but oh so delicious dish was reserved for special occasions when boiled milk was blase? I think it is a great recipe and cannot find a fault. If you like Bechamel, or sardines, or whatever...then post your recipe here.

[Auspicious]

I am a professional yacht delivery captain. I make a couple of lasagna in disposable pans before each trip and freeze them. While I fiddle with most recipes I come across this one has remained un-fiddled-with. *grin*

I have yet to have crew who did not greatly enjoy this lasagna. Combined with a Caesar salad this is a great meal. We all love it.

[Hennessee5]

Thank you for sharing this recipe and the others on here. This is be far the best one!! Don't change a thing.

[nickfrotis@sbcglobal.net]

Bechamel sauce is white sauce. A light white is 1 T butter; 1 T flour; 1 cup milk. Use a double boiler and you (probably) can't go wrong.

Try it.

Nick Fortis