Ok, so I'm going to be late getting home tomorrow. Can I pre-bake a lasagna (cook the noodles, meat, etc, and layer everything with the cheese and all) and cover it and keep it in the fridge for DH to put in the oven tomorrow night, or do I have to go ahead and cook it and let him reheat it tomorrow? Also, anyone use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?
I'm a self-proclaimed lasagna expert.... ewwww on the cottage cheese... Most peoples opinion is that Lasagna tastes better on the 2nd day, thats because all the sauce, cheese, meats, etc have had a chance to meld and get a little firmer. If it were me, I would cook it the night before and let DH reheat it when ready to eat dinner. But, you can do it either way... it'll still be yummy good!
I agree with Tassy. As far as the cottage cheese - it really isn't close to ricotta. I have had it that way at a friends house who was dieting and it was sort of. . .lacking.
Yep, I am making one for a friend tonight. I am going to bake it tonight, then take it over, they can re-heat for dinner tomorrow and it will be better then than it would tonight. We are having one leftover from Sat. for dinner. I use the no-bake recipe on the back of the Muellers box. Ricotta is the only way to go. :mrgreen:
OK, so now I'm offended, ya'll want Jen's lasagna and not mine...............................going off to pout now.................. J/K!!
My mom used to make huge batches of lasagne so that she could freeze a pan before baking. Yes, you can save it before baking. As for cottage cheese, that's the way my mama used to make it, and I love my mama, but DON'T!!!
Hey you said you were making your's for someone else but if you are having it at your house - i know where you live:lol:
Yeah, she's out of commission for a few days..........hope she feels better soon. But I got leftovers!! Yummy! :mrgreen:
I use cottage cheese sometimes, but they also make a light or reduced fat ricotta, use that too sometimes. Also - I use the no-cook noodles, don't have to boil first, just layer the lasagna and cook. There's instructions on the box. I thinks it Mueller's but just look at the box, it says no-cook. :-D
My mom has always used cottage cheese in hers and so do I, but I do double up on the Mozerella. Like was mentioned, when we make it, we do extra pans to put into the freezer for another time. We have also made it ahead of time and cooked it and put it in the frig for a later time. My dad swears it tastes better after it has cooked and sat overnight.
I grew up with my mom using cottege cheese. Met my wife and she used ricotta, and after having it I don't see how anyone could use cottege cheese in place of ricotta. As I have always told the wife, it is always better the day after she bakes it, and her's is outta this world to start with she's half french half italian so it's kinda in her genes to cook good. Craig
Using cottage cheese gives it more moisture. Also it will allow the noodles to cook fully in the proper amount of time. Ricotta is better but you will need to precook the noodles.
I know this this late, but I always use cottage cheese (just don't like ricotta) and my mom usually put hers together one day and baked it the next. Of course baking it and rewarming it the next day works too!!
I do this all the time. I do not like cottage cheese, since we don't eat this very often my family wants the real stuff. I prepare it on a Sunday afternoon for some other night during the week, place uncooked in frig., doesn't really matter what you use for the filler, I use ricotta and everything works out great, family even thinks it taste better because the seasons/flavors get a chance to mingle. During the hectic work week I leave instructions for someone that's home to put it in the oven and on my drive home it's taken out to settle, by the time I get home they've made the salad, table is set and we're ready to eat. Great idea, have used it for years. Have a great meal and evening, makes things so.....less hectic.
I have to say, don't like the no-cook noodles. I use the Barilla (?sp) brand and believe it or not the family can tell the difference, but it doesn't really matter use what you like. I cook my noodles aldente, make sure you have enough sauce to be absorbed for the noodles to finish cooking in the oven, this helps keep the noodles firm but done when serving at the table, hate limp, floppy noodles.
I guess after you've been brought up on lasagna made with ricotta there's just no going back. My ex-husbands aunt used to make it with cottage cheese, it was just plain wrong...<Barff>. When I make it, I doctor up some cheap spaghetti sauce (I've tried using my own homemade sauce but I just don't like it in my lasagna), add tri-fecta of meat (fry up ground beef, pork and veal), cook some sweet italian sausage and slice it up, then 1/2 the slices... throw it all in the sauce to simmer. Cook the noodles, then start assembling... using lotsa ricotta and shredded mozzarella. I love 'em nice and meaty and cheesy! When I make it, I make atleast 2 pans, one for us, one to share with the in-laws or neighbors. I'd swear its a 20-lb pan by the time I'm done...I use a nice deep pottery baking dish thats about 9x13, and about 3" deep...and I layer right to the tippy-top... dern y'all.. I might have to make lasagna this weekend...
I can tell a difference, my mom has changed in the past few years to making hers using the no-cook noodle method... I'll stick to cooking mine ahead of time, I like the over-all texture better.
