Thread: Dinner

Not made one for a while, but it takes between 4 and 5 hours from scratch.









Store a bit in the freezer and it's an easy and tasty lunch/ dinner when you're pushed for time.

I made chicken gyros on home made pita bread for lunch today with a thinly sliced cucumber salad.

^yum!...

Nice job with the lasagne Hallelujah. I've made it a few times. Could never find ricotta up here so I used bechamal sauce which actually turns out much better. Hell of a lot of work.

Originally Posted by Humbert

Nice job with the lasagne Hallelujah. I've made it a few times. Could never find ricotta up here so I used bechamal sauce which actually turns out much better. Hell of a lot of work.

I make bechamel too. Lasagne is probably my favourite food of all, but it takes a while.

Originally Posted by hallelujah

Don't fuck about with something that has worked well for hundreds of years

corollary: never fear innovation in the kitchen. Eggplant in lasagna was Nonna's summer treat for years: lighter, more flavorful and possibly even more interesting than slavishly following some online recipe in (unnecessary) defense of authenticity...

Originally Posted by tomcat

Originally Posted by hallelujah

Don't fuck about with something that has worked well for hundreds of years

corollary: never fear innovation in the kitchen. Eggplant in lasagna was Nonna's summer treat for years: lighter, more flavorful and possibly even more interesting than slavishly following some online recipe in (unnecessary) defense of authenticity...

I'll "slavishly" follow the original Italian recipe, I think.

They seem to do ok.

Originally Posted by hallelujah

Eggplants go in moussaka. Your last 2 shouts are something any lasagne should be considering towards the end IMHO, but aubergines have no place in the dish.

I make eggplant parmesan. It's one of my favorite dishes. Layers of breaded and fried eggplant, marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.

^ I love aubergines, but they have no place in a lasagne.

Originally Posted by hallelujah

I love aubergines, but they have no place in my lasagne

ftfy...

TC, point being that if you're adding aubergines to "lasagne" and removing the layers of pasta, you're pretty much making a Greek moussaka. Wouldn't you agree?

not at all...and my Italian grandmother certainly wouldn't, either...an old southern Italian dish, her eggplant lasagna recipe was learned in her mother's kitchen and came with her to the New World...she would never have drowned her preparation in a bechamel sauce, but recognized that Italy is a country of regions, each with its own variations on traditional recipes...

Roast lamb and carrots, garlic mash, peas, gravy. This is right up there with my all time favourite dinners to cook/eat, very simple - very tasty.

Moussaka is usually made with minced lamb. My mum used to make it, lasagna could have some eggplant in it. But it's the pasta that makes it lasagna!!!

Looks superb Topper

Is it best to eat them the same day? Giz a shout if you need help

Looks great Topper!

Shirely you and you and the missus is not going to eat that lot just the two of you?

Let us know how the meal turned out mate.

I'm having meat balls and gravy with savory mash tonight!

The meat was given to us by a Norway guy who claims it is the best mince beef in the world.

Will let you know tomorrow how I got on.

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Is it best to eat them the same day? Giz a shout if you need help

If you're in Bangkok, swing on by in the late afternoon.

Early lunch today of dwaeji bokkeum (spicy stir fried pork) with the ubiquitous banchan and soup at the local khao gaeng equivalent.

My late ex-wife, offspring of a Filicuda , Filicudi being one of the Aeolian Islands near Sicilia, often prepared lasagne with aubergine layers interspersed with pasta sheets. Either way. I gutsed it up every time. Seconds? Hell yeah!

There were traces of early Greek settlements on the islands. Maybe that's how the moussaka influence came in? Bit late to disqualify it as a Johnny come lately after a millenium or two, I'm thinking H!

Originally Posted by tomcat

...suggestions/variations from Nonna's kitchen:

a) try lightly grilled eggplant (skin on) as a substitute for pasta

A tip for anyone intending to fry or roast sliced aubergine for their lasagna or moussaka is to slice it into 1/3" thick "rounds" and place them in a colander into which you should evenly sprinkle salt and set aside for an hour or two. The superfluous bitter water content of the aubergine is extracted and the resulting slightly desiccated slice is then ready for a brief flash frying in a lightly seasoned dusting of flour before insertion into the moussaka or lasagna - I always pat the slices dry before frying so as to remove any residue including what may remain of the salt solution.