subject: Lasagna- A Treasured Casserole [print this page] In the long line of casseroles in existence today, lasagna holds one of those cherished spots. It's special to any chef, not only because of the ease of making it, but because of the many different recipes that can be conceived. Tracing back to when lasagna first became a dish, Italy comes up as a likely starting point, which makes sense since lasagna has an Italian twist to it. But then again, it could be of Greek origin. But regardless of these specifics, lasagna is one casserole that's good in testing your skills.
All in all, despite the history, the agreeable fact right now is that lasagna is one of those dishes you would want to make when it comes to testing how good you are in the kitchen.
There are some ingredients that lasagna cannot do without- like the sauce, cheese and pasta. But there are others that are interchangeable- like minced meat for meat balls, or bchamel sauce instead of tomato. It all breaks down to how creative you are, as far as combining the ingredients is concerned.
There are no limitations when it comes to the kitchen, specifically as far as your creativity is concerned. You could mix up a couple of ingredients and come up with a great new recipe. It's the story told with lasagna since new recipes are unveiled frequently. Lasagna is not necessarily a dish for the meat loving. Vegans can enjoy it to since there are zucchini and vegetable recipes that are just as great.
When it comes to making of a casserole, it cannot be emphasized enough how important following the recipe is. The temptation usually comes around, especially with so many different recipes being around. You want to add more ricotta cheese because you have a soft side for it, but that might not end very well. When you have a recipe in hand, the first thing is getting the ingredients- all of them. And unless your skills speak for themselves, postpone trying out new things till you have a deeper understanding of making the casserole dish.
The final step in making lasagna is usually baking it. Make sure you preheat your oven is ready for the job by preheating to about 375F. Then with the baking, time it right. Between 25-40 minutes should suffice depending on the recipe you are following.
As with all casseroles, making a masterpiece with your first shot is second to a miracle. Lasagna is not what you would call a sophisticated dish to make, but it does require multiple attempts before your dish is termed finger-licking good.
