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12/31/13

Never boil lasagna noodles again. No Boil Pasta Lasagna - Think how EASY lasagna is to make now!


Although our family loves lasagna and I make it every couple months, I haven't boiled lasagna noodles in over fifteen years.

Back when I had three little ones under the age of 5, I learned a 'trick' to whipping up a pan of lasagna quickly and easily.  This made a huge difference in how often I'd throw together a pan of lasagna for dinner.  Eliminating the need to boil the pasta before layering the ingredients took this dish from a 30 minute prep time to about 5 minutes.

Instead of boiling the noodles before layering, you steam them in the pan while baking.

The photo on the left is the pan of lasagna layered and ready to go into the oven to bake for an hour after I do one more step.

See the turquoise glass on the edge of the picture?  There's the time-saver.

Water.

Layer your favorite lasagna recipe (whether or not you line your pans with foil is up to you.  I do for easier clean up) and just before baking, pour in about a cup of water all around the edge of your pan.

I don't measure, I just use a coffee cup, small glass or similar and pour in about 1 cup of water more or less.  I would say I error on the side of a little 'more' than less and sometimes it might be 1 1/4 cup but 1 cup is about right.  Now, using a piece of foil, completely cover the top of your lasagna pan, turning the foil under the edges and squeezing it to stay in place and form a seal.  Bake as usual per your recipe; usually 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees.  As your lasagna bakes, the noodles will cook.  Remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking and return to oven if you want to brown the top to a golden color.  Proceed as usual with letting your lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes to let it set up for easier cutting and serving.


 Ready to seal the top with foil and bake.


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