The Noodle Trick Ina Garten Uses To Make Lasagna With Way Less Effort

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Lasagna is absolutely delicious, essentially the savory layer cake of the pasta world (and even better if you make it without ricotta, according to some). The issue is that it's a massive project, the sort of time-consuming endeavor usually reserved for special occasions or weekends when you've got time to spare.

Barefoot Contessa to the rescue: Ina Garten has a tip from her book "Barefoot Contessa Family Style" that solves the tedium and could conceivably transform lasagna (like our cottage cheese version) into a weekday staple. The trick is to soak the noodles in hot water directly in the baking dish, avoiding all the toil and patience required to boil them in a huge pot.

She uses this technique for both her turkey and roasted vegetable lasagnas. Garten blends hot tap water with boiling water to hit around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, then adds the noodles one at a time, soaking them for about 15 to 20 minutes (giving her time to take care of some of the rest of the prep). She then drains them off and lets the oven do the rest while the lasagna bakes.

Combine Ina Garten's tip with our own ways to make lasagna more efficiently, and suddenly the entire ordeal of making a gourmet pasta casserole is much more manageable. Soaking the noodles isn't just a time-saver; it actually has a practical seasoning purpose. Instead of absorbing a ton of salted water while boiling, the noodles gently soften in hot water and then continue cooking as they're layered with the sauce and other fillings. This lets the pasta absorb some of the filling's rich flavors.

When soaking the lasagna sheets, keep them fully submerged so they soften evenly, and separate or swirl them gently during the soak to keep them from sticking together. You also want to make sure to drain them thoroughly before layering, as excess water can dilute the sauce and thin out the flavors you want the noodles to cook in. Finally, don't skimp on sauce. To ensure the noodles finish cooking and soften during the bake, they'll need the moisture to hit that perfect level of fork tenderness (expect to use about four and a half cups for every 10-ounce package of noodles).

Garten used turkey in a "Barefoot Contessa" segment, and her vegetable lasagna calls for roasted eggplant and zucchini, but this trick also works great to impart the deep flavors of seasoned pork or beef into the pasta. No matter what fillings you choose, you'll want to bake until you get that satisfying layer of browned, bubbling cheese on top, then rest for several minutes before serving.