<p>I use regular noodles instead of buying the “special” no boil…it’s works the same. I generally make a sauce, but these days there are no many jarred sauces you could make it easy that way. I add chopped frozen spinach (thaw and squeeze out the water) to my sauce and a big dollap of tomato paste, alittle sugar and some red wine if I buy a jar sauce, sometimes I grate up a carrot or two. I mix 1 container of ricotta, 1 bag of shredded mozzarella and one cup of paremsan in a bowl and use that for my cheese layer then just layer it up…alittle sauce on the bottom of the pan, layer of noodles, layer of sauce, layer of cheese and repeat and if you have a deep pan, repeat again. Bake about an hour and yes, it’s really good if you make ahead and eat it the next day, but it’s still yummy out of the oven after abit of a rest time.</p>
<p>musicamusica: anway we can get you to share your apple pie recipe? pretty please? :)</p>
<p>^ basic crust—I use the guidelines on the Crisco can. I have a 19th century scalloped pastry cutter that makes the crust perfect.
I don’t have a recipe as much as a series of guidelines. I like to use as many different kinds apples as possible to give more dimension to the taste. I slice some of the apples very thin and some thick (helps the sauce) and I use the usual ingredients --butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg,salt, corn starch, lemon (if the apples are too sweet) and a little milk if they are too dry. Since the “force is with me” I never measure. ;)</p>
<p>you got me going----I am leaving work early to make pie.</p>
<p>My reciepe is similar to the one already posted, I use a fair amount of sausage, it’s what my family likes. And plenty of sauce–usually homemade, in a pinch try Classico or Trader Joe’s, they don’t have any added sugar. I really don’t like sweet sauce. </p>
<p>I spray the bottom and sides of the pan with some olive oil, it makes clean up a lot easier.</p>
<p>Couple of points:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Use more liquid than you think you’ll need if you’re using no-boil noodles. They suck up moisture, so add more sauce.</p></li>
<li><p>Classic lasagna is made with bechamel, which is simple white sauce in which you make a roux - butter and flour - and then add some hot milk (and nutmeg) and cook for a little while. A normal routine is to thinly coat each layer of pasta with bechamel and then coat the entire thing in tomato sauce, if you want. If you can make your own pasta, Mario Battali insists a real lasagna has at least 7 layers, which means they’re thin, not a large amount of topping between with a few sheets of pasta. You can make sheets so thin you can almost see through them, boil them for a few seconds, lay the out to cool, and it’s as easy from there as with store bought noodles. The difference is mostly thickness because store noodles are always pretty thick. </p></li>
<li><p>If you’re using ingredients that give up water - squash, mushrooms, etc. - cook them first and let them drain. You don’t want to find your lasagna floating in liquid.</p></li>
<li><p>Use more salt and other seasoning than you think you should. Lasagna mellows spices because it cooks for a while. Salt in the ingredients not on top of the whole lasagna.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>So, musicamusica, that bolagnase lasagna is the one that world tavellers are raving about? It looks hard, but if it’s as awesome as you say, maybe I can try it! Hub is actually pretty tired of my Ronzoni box recipe.</p>
<p>Make Marcella’s recipe for Bolognese(or any classic Bolognese) in a quadruple batch, let it simmer at the lowest possible temperature all day and freeze the rest. I promise—you will love it. Be sure to NOT use low fat ground beef and do not skim the fat off the sauce. I sometimes use half ground beef and half ground pork. When I lived in Italy, the friend who taught me her recipe used ground beef, veal and pork all together. But it seems ground veal is a little pricey now days!</p>
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<p>I use that recipe too and it’s really not that hard; it just takes time to put it all together. It is a recipe that knocks your sock off. I’ve had nothing but wonderful comments after serving it.</p>
<p>Just to confuse things further . . . </p>
<p>Someone suggested sweet Italian sausage; someone said ground beef. I use hot Italian sausage, and it’s really good.</p>
<p>I guess what we’re saying is, there is a lot of permissible variation in lasagna.</p>
<p>For those with zero issues relating to healthful eating :), I offer this variation. I had a “two lasagne” party last winter, the traditional plus this one. This one was the Fan Favorite:</p>
<p>Wild Mushroom and Spinach Lasagne Serves 12
• 5 pounds fresh spinach, stems removed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 pounds wild mushrooms, (chanterelles, oyster, and shiitake), trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup Madeira wine
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 one-pound package fresh spinach lasagna sheets</p>
<ol>
<li> Wash spinach leaves ; shake dry. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pan over medium heat. Add half the garlic; saute until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add half the spinach leaves, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain spinach in a colander. Repeat with another tablespoon butter and remaining garlic and spinach. When spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze to rid it of liquid. Roughly chop spinach; place in medium bowl. Add ricotta, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. </li>
<li> Melt 2-3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the mushrooms; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saute until mushrooms are softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet by pouring 1/4 cup Madeira into hot skillet with mushrooms and using a wooden spoon to loosen bits cooked onto skillet. Cook mushrooms until liquid has almost evaporated. Transfer cooked mushrooms to medium bowl. Repeat with another 2-3 tablespoons of butter, remaining mushrooms, and 1/4 cup Madeira. Add the chopped parsley to bowl with cooked mushrooms; stir. </li>
<li> In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 4 cups milk. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Slowly add warmed milk; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the nutmeg, and 1/2 cup grated cheese. </li>
<li> Heat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place layer of lasagna sheets in pan, trimming to fit; spread 1 cup spinach mixture, 1 cup mushroom mixture, and 1/2 cup sauce on top of lasagna sheets. Repeat layers several times. For last layer, place a layer of lasagna sheets on top; spread 1/2 cup sauce over lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated cheese. Bake lasagna until top is golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. </li>
</ol>
<p>This is rich (obviously) and people will often be satisfied with smaller squares than usual.</p>
<p>Thank you guys! I knew I could count on you!!!
Musicamusica - I will definitely try your recipe and make pasta myself but not this first time 
Do you make other pastas at home as well? I remember my grandma making egg noodles for chicken broth and I lOVED them!</p>
<p>For those of you that use mozarella - are the logs from Costco OK? I try to stay away from pre-shreded cheese…</p>
<p>I love making fresh pasta! My favorite is coming into season–pumpkin ravioli!! woo hoo
And I too love making noodles for chicken soup! Simple, inexpensive pleasures!</p>
<p>I agree with whoever said use some ground pork in the sauce along with beef. Gives much more depth of flavor. And use the real Italian San Marzano tomatoes and lots of garlic. I do use very lean meat(4% fat)–both beef and pork-- and add some broth to it before browning. Most would never notice the difference. Yum!</p>