Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle adv.

geepondy

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How do you stop the damn noodles from sticking together? I am not a great cook but make a pretty decent lasagna that I cook for friends from time to time and extracting the noodles from the pot is always an adventure that generally results in burnt fingers. I pull them from the pot after it's done piece by piece as I need them and it takes 12 pieces to complete my lasagna. By the time I am done, I am lucky if I get 12 complete pieces from cooking a whole box. I read to try putting some oil in the water and that will stop them from sticking. I do that and it does help but it also clouds the water so I can't see what I'm doing. I try to use tongs to extract the noodles, blindly sticking them into the cloudy water but the lasagna noodles end up ripping that way. So what I usually do is use a spatula to lift the lasagna noodle out of the pot sufficient enough so I can grab it with my hands. Before grabbing it with my hands, I run my hands under cold water but still usually burn them. Surely there's a better way.
 

Sub_Umbra

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

At the risk of sounding really nutty, some of the best lasagna I've ever eaten was cooked by a woman who layered the noodles hard, dry and uncooked into the baking pan with all of the other fixins and let it cook in the oven all at once! She did put a tiny amount of water into the pan for the noodles to soak up as they cooked, but not much.

This method doesnt dirty as many pans and the noodles are much easier to handle before they're cooked.
 

geepondy

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

I've never tried that with "regular" lasagna noodles but I did try it with these special non pre-cook noodles. It did work but the noodles themselves with very small and thin and lacked the substance of their normal counterparts.
 

Chief_Wiggum

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

Noodles stick because of the starch released when you cook them. The key to non-sticky noodles is to use a lot of water for the amount of noodles you're making. The less water, the more sticky.

For the bigger noodles, either cook them in patches or use a large stock pot.
 

Sub_Umbra

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

I'm pretty sure that these were regular noodles -- this was 30 years ago. They were full sized.

I've never done it myself, though.
 

NightStorm

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

Large pot and oil. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Also, don't cook the noodles all the way, leave them a little al Dente, the baking will take care of the rest of the process.

Dan
 

JOshooter

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

[ QUOTE ]
Sub_Umbra said:
At the risk of sounding really nutty, some of the best lasagna I've ever eaten was cooked by a woman who layered the noodles hard, dry and uncooked into the baking pan with all of the other fixins and let it cook in the oven all at once! She did put a tiny amount of water into the pan for the noodles to soak up as they cooked, but not much.

This method doesnt dirty as many pans and the noodles are much easier to handle before they're cooked.

[/ QUOTE ]

My mom tried this method after seeing it on the Food Network Channel and has never gone back.
 

bryguy42

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Definitely use oil while boiling the noodles.

AND dont cook them quite as long as the box says to. (this way they wont be as fragile when you handle them)

then run cold water into the pot and let it overflow into the sink. ( this cools them down for handling and stops the cooking which will make them tear apart if cooked too long...)

then you can just reach into the cool water and pull out the noodles as needed...

works for me!! bon apetit!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

daloosh

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While we both love to cook, my wife is the lasagna chef. Currently she uses Barilla oven ready, no boil lasagna. One 9oz box makes a 9x13 tray. Like the box says, no boil. Just layer them in with everything else, and they cook in the oven. If there's a small trick to it, it's to make sure each layer of noodles doesn't go right to the edge, and each layer is covered with sauce and cheese and all, especially the top layer. The sauce and stuff gives enough water to cook the noodles. If there isn't enough stuff over the top layer, then it stays hard and crackly when done, and let me tell you, that's not a good thing (personal experience, there).

and that's it!
daloosh
 

hideo

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second the dry method ... I usually make pasta casseroles in a covered dish with spiral pasta instead, but it cooks fine ... make sure the sauce is on the wet side and that all the noodles are submerged or you'll get "crunchy" ends

hideo
 

oldgrandpajack

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Never tried this with lasagna, but I never boil pasta any more.

Preheat the oven to 375. Cover bottom of 9x13 pan with a little sauce. Put 1/2 pound of your favorite pasta (spaghetti, elbows, twists, ziti, small shells) with 1/4-1/2 pound of sausage, pepperoni, small meatballs or hamburg in next. I put the meat on the bottom. Pour the rest of the sauce (24-26 oz.) on top. Fill jar with between 1/4 and 1/3 water. Put lid on and shake. Pour on top and cover with aluminum foil. Poke a hole in the aluminum foil. Place in preheated 375 oven for 45-50 minutes. Take out of oven and take off the aluminum foil. Sprinkle 1/4-1/2 lb. of grated cheese and put back in oven for another 12-15 minutes, uncovered. This always works for me, and saves on cleanup.

I've also used thick and chunky salsa with taco meat, sliced olives, chili beans and colored twists. Found that I have to use two (24 oz. each) jars of salsa instead of adding water, as in the above recipe. Otherwise, it's the same. I serve with sour cream on the side.

oldgrandpajack
 

Samoan

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Re: Ok, you culinary experts, need lasagna noodle

[ QUOTE ]
Sub_Umbra said:
I'm pretty sure that these were regular noodles -- this was 30 years ago. They were full sized.

I've never done it myself, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ever since a chef buddy of mine called me silly for NOT doing it I always do it. The no-cook noodles are a marketing ploy. "Regular" noodles work just fine. What I do is add a little beef stock to the sauce to give it a SLIGHTLY looser consistency so the noodled absorb that.

-Fernando
 

geepondy

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Just tried this method and it works! I had tried it before but did not add oil to water while cooking and they stuck together like glue once cooled. This time with oil in the water, a couple pieces sort of stuck together but I was easily able to get 12 pieces. Thanks for all the advice!

[ QUOTE ]
bryguy42 said:
Definitely use oil while boiling the noodles.

AND dont cook them quite as long as the box says to. (this way they wont be as fragile when you handle them)

then run cold water into the pot and let it overflow into the sink. ( this cools them down for handling and stops the cooking which will make them tear apart if cooked too long...)

then you can just reach into the cool water and pull out the noodles as needed...

works for me!! bon apetit!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
 
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