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You don't even need to soften the regular noodles first.
Honestly.
The raw noodles cook in the sauce.
Just be sure every bit of noodle has sauce on it.

I slightly dampen matzah when I make matzah lasagna for Pesach.
But pasta doesn't need it. It bakes up just fine from totally raw as long as it is covered in sauce.
Heavenly.

You don't need the "no boil" pasta. Just soak regular lasagna noodles in hot water until they're pliable. Add a few drops of olive oil and they won't stick together. They'll cook in the oven.

I remember that! I quit smoking, but used to save my butts, soak in water for months and poured around the exterior of my house - great for repelling insects and rodents.

BTW: 100% with Jerzee on holding the final mozzarella layer until just before serving.

Whoa - I haven't been here in ages and this is a great thread! Hi everybody!!! :-)

I would never attempt to compete with Jerzee or Chelle (where is Chiff?) and I have faith in their experience and suggestions. I used to cook my noodles, but now, I just soak them in hot water enough to soften. I have used bechamel just on the bottom of a lasagna/lasagne, but never tried it in place of ricotta in the layers. I do use cottage cheese in place of ricotta, because I find ricotta to be gritty and I love cottage cheese (*WAY* :-D ). I mix it with mozzarella, parm, eggs and parsley. Chelle, do you use any cheese in the layers, or make the bechamel into a mornay sauce? What hasn't really been covered here is the vegetables for a vegetable lasagna. I add onions and garlic to my sauce, then the roasted veggies, such as mushrooms, carrots, zucchini plus frozen chopped spinach squeezed dry in my potato ricer. I am also lactose intolerant. Provide your guest with a couple of capsules of Lactaid Fast Act, which is taken with the first bite and more if still imbibing dairy after 30 minutes. Check first, to make sure it's okay with him/her. One other possibility would be my Spaghetti Pie, which I'm sure I posted on here at some point. I used to make a bunch for Realtor Open Houses and freeze, then thaw and reheat. Good luck!

}8-)>

OK, OK...
not the appropriate forum to drool over Alton anyway... ;-)

*ear perk*
Alton?
Alton Brown?
...yummy...

*sorry, be good Pammie* ;-)

@carol~Where do we even go from here????? There are SO many things running through my noggin right about now........

This is really funny!

Kids-
Enough already.

Here's an alternate recipe and it's delicious.

Manicotti “Llttle Puffs” -Mom’s recipe (my notes and additions)

Sauce
The sauce can be made several days ahead. Keep refrigerated until use.
1/3 cup olive oil
1-1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 2 lb.-3 oz. can good quality Italian tomatoes, undrained
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 Tbs. finely chopped parsley
1 Tbs. salt (? amount)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
(pinch sugar)
1-1/2 cup water

(Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic, lower heat to medium low and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often until the garlic starts to soften. Add the rest of the ingredients stir. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Do not let sauce scorch.

Pasta
This pasta is crepe-like and very tender.
A 6-inch non-stick pan works is the perfect size for making the pasta crepes, but any omelet or crepe pan will work.
6 eggs
1-1/2 cup unsifted flour
1-1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine the eggs, flour salt and water with an electric mixer (or blender) until smooth. Let stand for a 1/2 hour or longer. (Lightly oil and ) heat a crepe pan over medium high heat. Pour 3 Tbs. of batter into the heated pan. Cook the crepe until the topp is dry but the bottom is not browned. Remove the crepe and cool on wire rack. Crepe should be thin. If not, thin the batter with a little milk until it is the desired consistency for thin crepes.

Filling
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, small dice
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. finely chopped parsley
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
-additional 1/4 cup grated parmesan for topping)

Combine all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Blend well.

To assemble:

Preheat oven 350 deg. Lightly grease two 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish.

Put 1-1/2 cups of the tomato sauce into the bottom of each baking dish distributing evenly to cover.

Spoon approximately 1/4 up of filling down the middle of each crepe. Roll up and place seam side down in the sauced pan. Repeat with remaining crepes and mixture.

Cover filled manicotti with another cup of sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Can I get an amen?

goodness, i didn't realize this post would become a lasagna throwdown. i mean lasagne. whatever. i have lots of good ideas from all of you. i feel like it is going to become an incredibly time consuming complicated project with ricotta/egg layers, bechamel layers, grilled vegetables, spinach ricotta egg layers, half a baked ziti. okay time to edit myself.

@ allot and mollykate... thanks. you wont be sorry. I generally make a double batch making sure to use whole milk, generous salt and pepper as well as a smidge of nutmeg. Off the heat I add in a few handfuls of good aged romano, give it a wisk and call it good. I let it cool for a good 15 minutes before I assemble the layers so it doesnt overcook the pasta.

@ ChefRobert...dude, Im not sure who you think you are dealing with, exactly. You can add "chef" to the beginning of any name you want and that doesnt make them one. You most certainly DO NOT need ricotta for a lasagna and bechamel is most certainly NOT better suited just for mac n cheese. (Uhhhh, any facebookers out there want to re-itterate this comment by my foodie pics on my catering/personal chef page??? I believe there are quite a few photos to substantiate my comment). THAT being said, the texture of bechamel is far more appealing than that of ricotta. You can make ricotta in 10 minutes but why in the hell would you want to? Its wet. Its gross. Its generally flavorless. Bechamel makes a delightfully creamy addition between the layers and when ladled on the final noodles as the topping, browns and gets that oh so cheesy deliciousness that everyone loves.

Also, while I enjoy TK very much, there are no onions in sauce. EVER. Can I get an amen from the dagos and waps in the room? We are straight off the boat, baby.

Bechamel rules. Onions and ricotta do not. Period.
Love,
ChefChelleyD01

p.s. @ Joyyyy...yes. it is, only we prefer to be Varsity...never the JV.

Or maybe it could be where you throw the lasagna down on people who have pissed you off?