Comments on: the real deal (marcella hazan’s lasagne bolognese) http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/ Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:56:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Irene Schuman http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-8793 Irene Schuman Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:32:53 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-8793 I, too, tried Marcella Hazan's lasagne but since I'm a lazy cook I took a few short-cuts. I made the Bolognese sauce exactly as she described and it was delicious. I froze it a week before Thanksgiving. The day before Thanksgiving, I used store bought pasta. I made the bechemel the way I usually do with cold milk, stirring constantly on a slightly higher heat than she recommends. It was fine. At that point I added about 1/4 cup of homemade pesto sauce (from my freezer) to the bechemel. I then assembled the lasagne: first a thin layer of meat sauce, then three slices of the cooked pasta, then the bechemel-pesto sauce which I covered with quattro formaggio (parmesan, fontina, asiago, provolone) from Trader Joe's) and a few slices of mozzarelle. I only had room to repeat this for 3 layers. I topped it with the butter as she suggested and had to mop up the butter with a paper towel when it came out of the oven. I didn't want to serve it with the pool of butter floating on the top. It was delicious and everyone raved, but it wasn't authentic. We still enjoyed it and I will make it again, especially if I can freeze the meat sauce ahead of time. The assembly took very little time. I, too, tried Marcella Hazan’s lasagne but since I’m a lazy cook I took a few short-cuts. I made the Bolognese sauce exactly as she described and it was delicious. I froze it a week before Thanksgiving. The day before Thanksgiving, I used store bought pasta. I made the bechemel the way I usually do with cold milk, stirring constantly on a slightly higher heat than she recommends. It was fine. At that point I added about 1/4 cup of homemade pesto sauce (from my freezer) to the bechemel. I then assembled the lasagne: first a thin layer of meat sauce, then three slices of the cooked pasta, then the bechemel-pesto sauce which I covered with quattro formaggio (parmesan, fontina, asiago, provolone) from Trader Joe’s) and a few slices of mozzarelle. I only had room to repeat this for 3 layers. I topped it with the butter as she suggested and had to mop up the butter with a paper towel when it came out of the oven. I didn’t want to serve it with the pool of butter floating on the top. It was delicious and everyone raved, but it wasn’t authentic. We still enjoyed it and I will make it again, especially if I can freeze the meat sauce ahead of time. The assembly took very little time.

]]> By: bridget http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-93 bridget Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:42:55 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-93 arriba - That sounds great! I really love mushrooms in lasagna. arriba – That sounds great! I really love mushrooms in lasagna.

]]> By: arriba http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-94 arriba Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:44:27 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-94 I hope you will see this post--I know it is late! I recently read an addition to this wonderful lasagna in a book of Marcella's that I don't own(Marcella Says-- written after they moved to florida). She added 3.5 lbs of slow cooked mushrooms to the bolognese sauce. She mixed the varieties--crimini, button, shitaake, dried porcini, sliced them thinly, cooked for 1.5 hours then added to prepared meat sauce. I would really like to try this variation and have made the Bolognese sauce(frozen). I made a mushroom lasagna that I found on the web that was good but bland because it was just mushrooms and bechamel. I'll bet Marcella's innovation would be REALLY good! I will post if I make it anytime soon. I hope you will see this post–I know it is late! I recently read an addition to this wonderful lasagna in a book of Marcella’s that I don’t own(Marcella Says– written after they moved to florida). She added 3.5 lbs of slow cooked mushrooms to the bolognese sauce. She mixed the varieties–crimini, button, shitaake, dried porcini, sliced them thinly, cooked for 1.5 hours then added to prepared meat sauce. I would really like to try this variation and have made the Bolognese sauce(frozen). I made a mushroom lasagna that I found on the web that was good but bland because it was just mushrooms and bechamel. I’ll bet Marcella’s innovation would be REALLY good! I will post if I make it anytime soon.

]]> By: arriba http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-88 arriba Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:38:14 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-88 I am glad you had the same feeling about the butter. Rarely do I disagree with Marcella but I just don't think this wonderful dish needs it. I am glad you had the same feeling about the butter. Rarely do I disagree with Marcella but I just don’t think this wonderful dish needs it.

]]> By: bridget http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-89 bridget Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:54:28 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-89 Oh, I thought the butter was way too much as well! It sounded good in theory, but I was not impressed with the pools of melted butter on top of the lasagna. I guess it seemed out of context. Oh, I thought the butter was way too much as well! It sounded good in theory, but I was not impressed with the pools of melted butter on top of the lasagna. I guess it seemed out of context.

]]> By: anonymous http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-90 anonymous Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:48:31 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-90 If you make this wonderful lasagna again, try not mxing the sauces and see which method you prefer. I would love to know what you think. I think(I don't have the book right here)that the meat sauce is spread thinly on the noodle, then bechamel added, then parmesan. Also, I don't add butter anymore as it seemed more greasy--unnecessarily so. I am enjoying reading my way through your site. If you make this wonderful lasagna again, try not mxing the sauces and see which method you prefer. I would love to know what you think. I think(I don’t have the book right here)that the meat sauce is spread thinly on the noodle, then bechamel added, then parmesan. Also, I don’t add butter anymore as it seemed more greasy–unnecessarily so.

I am enjoying reading my way through your site.

]]> By: bridget http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-91 bridget Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:17:42 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-91 Interesting. She must have updated that for later editions. I have Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, and it definitely specifies to mix the sauces. Interesting. She must have updated that for later editions. I have Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, and it definitely specifies to mix the sauces.

]]> By: anonymous http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-92 anonymous Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:49:11 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-92 I have made this wonderful lasagna countless times and yours looks fabulous but one step differs from Marcella's book(Classic Italian Cookbook). The sauces are NOT mixed together and I think I like keeping them separate. The colors do not blend and you get a much definite red,white, and green. Your pictures are great. I have made this wonderful lasagna countless times and yours looks fabulous but one step differs from Marcella’s book(Classic Italian Cookbook). The sauces are NOT mixed together and I think I like keeping them separate. The colors do not blend and you get a much definite red,white, and green. Your pictures are great.

]]> By: ally http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-87 ally Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:32:44 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-87 Wow, what a delicious looking lasagna. Fantastic job! Wow, what a delicious looking lasagna. Fantastic job!

]]> By: Paul http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-86 Paul Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:58:56 +0000 http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/the-real-deal/#comment-86 This is fabulous.. absolutely wonderful. It's looks incredibly delicious!... I wish I could have some ;( Keep on cooking. This is fabulous.. absolutely wonderful. It’s looks incredibly delicious!… I wish I could have some ;(

Keep on cooking.

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