I make fresh pasta regularly and it usually works out well. There is one exception. If I make sheets of pasta for lasagna or cannelloni they tend to stick together during cooking so that I have difficulty separating them from each other and themselves. Does anyone have a suggestion? I have heard that adding oil to the water may help. Thanks.
2 Answers
You may just be cooking too much at once. When I make lasagna or rolled pasta, like cannelloni, I cook 2 to 3 sheets at a time, building my lasagna (or filling the pasta) as I go. I remove the cooked sheets to a clean kitchen towel. Proceed with the construction when they are just cool enough to handle, then add more fresh pasta to the cooking pot.
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4Anytime I boil stuff like this lasagna pasta or bagels, I get out the roasting pan and heat it over two flames as if I'm reducing gravy. Gives me great surface area for maximum efficiency May 14, 2019 at 6:59
maybe they stick because they are overcooked...however, when boiling any type of pasta you should always add a spoonful or so of vegetable oil to help them separate.
I never pre-cook lasagna sheets...fresh pasta cooks so quickly that it will be thoroughly cooked while in the oven, even if every sauce is pre-cooked...and even store-bought dry lasagna sheets or cannelloni tubes will be entirely cooked if they are covered with sauces and the dish is cooked for 20 or more minutes.
answered May 14, 2019 at 23:02
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I made cannelloni this past weekend and took your advice. I made the fresh pasta, but didn't cook it before making the individual cannellonies. It was brilliant. You were right! I baked everything in the oven and it turned out perfectly. Thank you so much. I will try lasagna next. Tom– cytuser1Jun 10, 2019 at 17:35