# Lasagna



## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

I'm toying around with the Spring menu...I know, I know, a bit early, but it's been CRAZY cold up here in New England and I'm dreaming of Springtime already. 

Thinking of doing a nettle and mushroom lasagna for the menu as a veg entree. I've never actually done a lasagna professionally before. I've done a sort of "free form" lasagna that was assembled to order, but that was about it. 

I think I've got my method for assembling and baking, but I'm curious as to how to best re-heat. I'm thinking I will bake in a hotel pan (I don't want to do individual lasagna or anything), chill then cut into portions...but what is the best way to re-heat the portions so they don't dry out? Splash of water/sauce on a sizzle plate wrapped in foil? 

Just wondering what you all thought.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

My experience is with lasagna and baked ziti with cheese on top. I just heat covered in a hotel pan then transfer to plate for service.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Assuming the sauce will be cream based (with a splash of port...yum) and the pasta thinner than that used for the "normal" meat and red sauced lasagna?
IME cling film and a micro can do wonders when bringing a portion of a pasta dish up to temp.
Warm and then place in a pool of extra sauce (a wide shallow soup bowl would be kinda sexy IMO).
Wouldn't be a bad thing to flash under the salamander for just a hint of color before plating.
What sort of cheese (if any) will you be using?

mimi


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Hey @someday , just curious what other ingredients you're using.
I'm asking because it's a big family event when nettles are available. Like @flipflopgirl says, your pasta
should be pretty thin. We personally like the nettle taste. It's easy to cover the taste. Just sayin, our favorite is
when I make nettle pasta. The flavor stays bold, not like spinach pasta (doesn't really taste like spinach).
I usually make ravioli with a cheese and whatever exotic mushroom available filling. Actually, with the thin skins
they would probably faster than reheating lasagna. All you need is a pot of H2O.


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

I'm curious as to why you wouldn't do individual portions. Seems it would be easy enough if you have the right serving dishes. Individual portion in the hot oven for ten? minutes, sauce and serve.
I'm not a fan of the big pan lasagnas done in most restaurants. They always seem a bit sloppy and burnt/underdone in different spots, different ingredients falling out, all covered by too much sauce and cheese. That may be lack of care on the part of the individual cook but it seems universal. In a group or on a buffet I don't mind that so much but at a la carte restaurant prices raise my expectations. I would think making individual portions would mean presentation could be more tightly controlled.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

flipflopgirl said:


> Assuming the sauce will be cream based (with a splash of port...yum) and the pasta thinner than that used for the "normal" meat and red sauced lasagna?
> IME cling film and a micro can do wonders when bringing a portion of a pasta dish up to temp.
> Warm and then place in a pool of extra sauce (a wide shallow soup bowl would be kinda sexy IMO).
> Wouldn't be a bad thing to flash under the salamander for just a hint of color before plating.
> ...


Yeah, I'm trying to avoid using the microwave...we have one but it's mostly used for heating up staff food, coffee, and my pastry chef uses it to melt chocolate and such. Plus it isn't on the line and would require me to leave the line every time we needed one reheated.

The idea of some sauce on the bottom of the bowl is in line with what I'm thinking. I think I'll just do a gruyere fonduta for the bottom of the plate, whipped ricotta + nettles and mushrooms in the lasagna itself. I'm thinking I might top the lasagna with a pea shoot and radish salad as well.

I'll be using house made fresh pasta, blanched quickly and cooled before assembling.



panini said:


> Hey @someday , just curious what other ingredients you're using.
> I'm asking because it's a big family event when nettles are available. Like @flipflopgirl says, your pasta
> should be pretty thin. We personally like the nettle taste. It's easy to cover the taste. Just sayin, our favorite is
> when I make nettle pasta. The flavor stays bold, not like spinach pasta (doesn't really taste like spinach).
> ...


Yeah, I hear you. I've done ravioli/agnolotti so many time though, trying to do something different that I've never executed before. I have a specific vision in my head of how it would look/taste and if I can pull it off I think it will be really good. Of course I could easily make ravioli like I've done 1000x before...like I said, trying something different. Plus, I feel like I always go back to the same 4-5 vegetarian entrees on my menus and would like to expand. I appreciate the ideas though.



chefwriter said:


> I'm curious as to why you wouldn't do individual portions. Seems it would be easy enough if you have the right serving dishes. Individual portion in the hot oven for ten? minutes, sauce and serve.
> I'm not a fan of the big pan lasagnas done in most restaurants. They always seem a bit sloppy and burnt/underdone in different spots, different ingredients falling out, all covered by too much sauce and cheese. That may be lack of care on the part of the individual cook but it seems universal. In a group or on a buffet I don't mind that so much but at a la carte restaurant prices raise my expectations. I would think making individual portions would mean presentation could be more tightly controlled.


I don't want to do individual portions for a number of reasons. If you need me to list them for you I guess I'm happy to. The main one is that I don't have good serving dishes for it.

I agree with you on the sloppy typical lasagnas found in many places. I think that I can correct that issue...in idea it won't be a hugely saucy lasagna..I'm going for tight layers that aren't too sloppy. The main sauce will be pooled under on pickup with additional toppings applied on pickup as well.


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

That's tough. My feeling would be individual portions for quality and a nicer presentation but I can understand if you can't. Still, maybe pick up six or eight rarebit/gratin dishes? Cooking and reheating done poorly gives a school lunch/dive result, yet I've had decent results [gulp!] doing 30 seconds in the mic, turn, then 30 more, then into an oven. Holding hot works well if you don't have to hold it for more than two or three hours tops.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Have you considered a lasagna "Roll" presentation? They can be done very nicely with little mess.
Again the issue might be with the proper serving dish.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I politely bow out from suggestions. I like what you are going to do. Very similar to an al forno they prepare in Italy. It's very common to do in a large pan. It's usually made untopped and then retarded. It usually sets up pretty well. A slight rhomboid cut will take it out of the school lunch look. (sorry, suggestion)I'm now hungry. Brings back memories of times long ago. Well, except the groviera fonduta. The family table would never say anything to Nonni, but I bet there would be some eyes rolling and an increase in wine consumption. :>)


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