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YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A WATCHWORD
IN 21st CENTURY MARKETING,
IT ISN'T LUXURY OR ECONOMY
OR BEAUTY OR EFFICIENCY OR INTELLIGENCE.
IT'S COMFORT-- DON'T BELIEVE ME?
WELL LET'S DO A LITTLE CHANNEL SURFING, SHALL WE?
(TV announcer) "WITH YOUR COMFORT STEPS ON, EVEN WORKOUTS ARE A PIECE OF CAKE."
"THE CLIMATE COMFORT SYSTEM WILL KEEP YOUR FEET TOASTY
"AND YOUR HEAD COOL-- OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
"IT'S UP TO YOU."
(TV announcer) "SO WHY NOT JUST SLIP INTO A SNUGGLEBUG
"AND BASTE IN COMFORT."
AND OF COURSE, THE COMFORT CONCEPT
EXTENDS TO FOOD, AS IN "COMFORT FOOD,"
WHICH IS DEFINED, SINCE 1977 AT LEAST,
AS FOODS CONSUMED TO ACHIEVE SOME LEVEL OF IMPROVED EMOTIONAL STATUS,
WHETHER TO RELIEVE NEGATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS,
OR TO INCREASE THE POSITIVES.
CONSIDER...
(TV announcer) "WITH GRAVY JUST LIKE MOM USED TO MAKE..."
"LIKE MOM USED TO SERVE..."
"LIKE MOM'S ONLY BETTER..."
IF COMFORT IS INDEED KING, THEN AS A COOK,
WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO PREPARE THE SINGLE MOST COMFORTING DISH OF ALL TIME,
A DISH THAT, WELL, THAT EPITOMIZES THE CONCEPT OF COMFORT?
WELL I RECENTLY RECEIVED A GRANT TO STUDY JUST THAT,
AND THE WINNER WAS CLEAR.
MORE COMFORTING THAN A RECLINER, A FRIEND'S SHOULDER TO CRY ON--
MORE COMFORTING THAN PETTING CUTE LITTLE PUPPIES,
OR WEARING THOSE STINKY, OLD SNEAKERS THAT YOU HID FROM YOUR MOM FOR YEARS
WHEN SHE TOLD YOU TO THROW THEM OUT
IS OF COURSE, LASAGNA-- THE DISH AND THE NOODLE
FOR WHICH THE DISH IS NAMED.
AND BEST OF ALL, UNLIKE FRIENDS, RECLINERS, SNEAKERS OR PUPPIES,
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT YOURSELF, AFTER JUST HALF AN HOUR OF...
♪
LET'S EXAMINE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM LASAGNA HISTORY, SHALL WE?
NOW LASAGNA IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF PASTA KNOWN TO MAN--
THE WORD ITSELF IS QUITE ANCIENT--
IT COMES EITHER FROM THE ARABIC "LAWZINAJ,"
WHICH MEANS A THIN, ALMOND CAKE,
OR THE GREEK "LASANON," MEANING A CHAMBER POT,
WHICH THEN INVOLVED INTO THE LATIN, "LASANUM," OR COOKING POT,
WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY MORE APPETIZING.
BY THE FIRST CENTURY A.D., WE KNOW THAT IT WAS THE POPULAR NOODLE IN ROME
BECAUSE THE GOURMAND MARCUS APICIUS
WROTE OF THIN, WIDE NOODLES BEING FRIED IN OIL
AND THEN BEING SERVED TOSSED WITH PEPPER AND THE FERMENTED FISH SAUCE
KNOWN AS GARUM-- PROBABLY EXPLAINS THE CATS.
BY THE 13TH CENTURY, FOLKS ALL AROUND EUROPE
WERE BOILING SUCH NOODLES,
ALMOST LIKE DUMPLINGS, AND IN ENGLAND,
THEY WERE TOSSING THEM WITH CREAM.
PERHAPS AN ANCESTOR OF MACARONI AND CHEESE, HMM.
BY THE 16th CENTURY, WIDE, FLAT NOODLES WERE BEING CUT,
FRIED, ARRANGED IN LAYERS WITH SAUCE, AND THEN BAKED
IN PARTS OF NORTHERN ITALY.
NOW IF YOU GO JUST A FEW CENTURIES ON DOWN THE LINE,
YOU CAN SEE THIS DISH MIGRATED TO A NEW LAND
CALLED AMERICA--
WHICH WELCOMED ITALIAN CUISINE AND ITS CURIOUS LASAGNE NOODLE,
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IT WAS DELICIOUS, ECONOMICAL,
AND YOU COULD BUY HOMEMADE WINE
IN LITTLE ITALIES, EVEN DURING PROHIBITION.
NOW, AFTER WORLD WAR II, CONVENIENCE BECAME THIS COUNTRY'S CULINARY CRY
AND THE CASSEROLE WAS ITS CHAMPION.
NO CASSEROLE, OF COURSE, WAS MORE BELOVED THAN LASAGNA.
NOW THIS DISH DELIVERED JUST ALL THAT MODERN AMERICANS FIND COMFORTING,
INCLUDING IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, OOEY, GOOEY, CHEESY, FATTY,
SAUCY AND STARCHY.
ME, I FIND COMFORT IN COMPLEX STRATAS OF FLAVOR,
CONTRASTING TEXTURES, A HEADY AROMA,
AND ABOVE ALL, CULINARY EASE.
THIS MEANS THAT THE DELIGHT I GET FROM THE DISH
MUST NOT BE NEGATED BY THE FACT THAT IT CAN OFTEN BE
A BIG, FAT PAIN TO MAKE.
NOW I KNOW A FEW ITALIAN GUYS WHO WOULD TELL YOU THAT
LASAGNA IS NOT A PAIN AT ALL TO MAKE,
BUT I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT THEY HAVE A SECRET WEAPON...
(heavy Italian accent) I HOPE AND PRAY THAT ONE DAY,
YOU HAVE A KID LIKE YOU, EH.
OH, MOMMA.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED I AM NOT ITALIAN.
NOR DO I HAVE A FEISTY, ROUND WOMAN IN AN APRON
HANGING AROUND THE KITCHEN STIRRING POTS OF TOMATO SAUCE ALL DAY.
(heavy Italian accent) WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BREAK YOUR MOMMA'S HEART, EH?
WHAT I DO HAVE, HOWEVER, IS A SLOW COOKER, AKA, CROCK-POT.
THIS UBIQUITOUS DEVICE WAS CONCEIVED BY A REVOLUTIONARY THINKER
AT CHICAGO'S NAXON UTILITIES CORPORATION BACK IN THE '60s
CALLED THE BEAN POT.
THE DEVICE WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A CERAMIC VESSEL
WITH A BUILT-IN, LOW WATTAGE ELECTRICAL COIL.
THE APPLIANCE WENT ALL BUT UNNOTICED
WHEN THE RIVAL CORPORATION PURCHASED NAXON IN 1970,
PRIMARILY TO GET AT THEIR LUCRATIVE SUN LAMP AND LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT BUSINESS.
BUT THE HEAD OF HOME EC AT RIVAL SAW SOMETHING IN THIS DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH,
AND THE PRODUCT WAS GUSSIED UP AND INTRODUCED TO THE MARKET IN '71
AS THE CROCK-POT.
BY 1975, SALES WERE UP TO 90 MILLION UNITS A YEAR
AND NO WEDDING REGISTRY WAS COMPLETE WITHOUT ONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEN CAME THE MICROWAVE,
AND A NEW FOCUS ON CULINARY SPEED AND THE NOBLE CROCK-POT
WAS RELEGATED TO THRIFT STORES AND GARAGE SALES.
LUCKILY, COOKS ARE STARTING TO REDISCOVER THE LONG LOST INGREDIENT THAT IS TIME,
AND THE CROCK-POT IS BACK IN ACTION.
ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY, I MUCH PREFER THE OLD SCHOOL ANALOG MODELS
TO THE MODERN PROGRAMMABLE, DIGITAL MODELS,
FOR REASONS WHICH WILL SOON BE REVEALED.
AND NOW, FINALLY, IT'S TIME TO INTRODUCE THE STAR OF THE SHOW,
THE LASAGNA ITSELF, WHICH, LIKE MOST PASTAS
IS MADE FROM PROTEIN-LADEN SEMOLINA WHEAT, WATER,
AND NOT A WHOLE LOT ELSE.
AND BY THE WAY, IF IT'S A SINGLE NOODLE, IT ENDS IN AN "E," LASAGNE.
IF IT'S PLURAL, THEN IT'S AN "A," LASAGNA.
UM, ALTHOUGH QUALITY-FRESH LASAGNA IS VERY,
YOU KNOW, DESIRABLE IN SOME DISHES,
I THINK THAT, UH, THE DRY, FACTORY-MADE VERSION IS BETTER FOR THIS DISH--
BUT NOT ALL ARE ALIKE.
NOW I FIND THAT AMERICAN VERSIONS, WHETHER FLAT OR FRILLY-EDGED
ARE VERY, VERY THICK, AND PRODUCE TOO MUCH CHEW.
WHEREAS ITALIAN VERSIONS TEND TO BE THINNER, AND MORE DELICATE.
THERE ARE ALSO NO-BOIL LASAGNAS, OR WOULD THAT BE LASAGNE,
WHICH ARE PRE-COOKED AND DRIED SO THEY CAN BE ADDED
TO VARIOUS APPLICATIONS IN THEIR MUMMIFIED STATE.
I'VE TRIED THEM, AND GOSH DARN IT, I DON'T LIKE THEM.
SO, LET'S BEGIN WITH A POUND OF THE GOOD IMPORTED STUFF.
HAVING PROCURED A TOP QUALITY LASAGNA PRODUCT,
MOST RECIPES FOR LASAGNA-- THE DISH, NOT THE NOODLES--
WOULD CALL FOR THESE TO BE COOKED, TYPICALLY IN A BIG, OLD CAULDRON OF BOILING WATER.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I SAY, WHY BOTHER?
AFTER ALL, I DON'T NEED THEM COOKED, I JUST NEED THEM FLEXIBLE,
AND THAT IS A STATE EASILY ACHIEVED WITH JUST A QUICK SOAK
IN HOT WATER FROM THE SINK-- SAY ABOUT 100 DEGREES--
THE SOAK SHOULD LAST NO LESS THAN 15 AND NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES,
WHICH IS PLENTY OF TIME TO PREP THE REST OF THE SOFTWARE.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, LASAGNA, THE DISH,
HAS RELATIVELY FEW COMPONENTS.
OKAY, THERE'S MEAT, VEGETABLES, NOODLES,
AND SAUCE, WHICH WE'LL GET TO IN A BIT.
NOW, FOR THE FIRST TWO, I RELIGIOUSLY OBSERVE A THREE-TO-THREE RATIO,
MEANING THREE MEATS AND THREE VEGETABLES, ALL RIGHT?
TEAM VEGETATION WILL BE PLAYED BY A TRIO OF ITALIAN CLASSICS.
WE'VE GOT...
AS FOR THE CRITTER PART OF THE EQUATION, WE'VE GOT...
NOW, THE SAUSAGES WILL HAVE TO COME OUT OF THEIR CASINGS,
AND YOU CAN EITHER UNWRAP THEM CANDY BAR STYLE,
OR YOU CAN JUST SQUEEZE THEM OUT LIKE SO MUCH EDIBLE PLAY-DOH.
NOW, AS FOR THE VEGETATION,
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE MUSHROOMS,
JUST SLICE THOSE INTO 1/4 TO 3/16 INCH SLICES--
NO REASON TO CUT THEM UP ANY MORE THAN THAT--
WE WANT THEM LONG AND NOODLE-LIKE.
AS FOR THE EGGPLANT AND THE ZUCCHINI,
I BASICALLY WANT TO TURN THEM INTO NOODLES,
SAY 3 MILLIMETERS THICK,
AND THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE SOME TECHNOLOGY,
IN THE WAY OF A SLICER, OR A MANDOLIN.
NOW THIS ONE JUST HAPPENS TO HAVE A 3 MILLIMETER SETTING,
AN AMAZING COINCIDENCE.
SO WE BEGIN ON THE ZUCCHINI, JUST SLICE OFF A LITTLE OF THE STEM END,
AND SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE.
NOW, BEFORE YOU PUT THIS TO THE MANDOLIN, YOU WANT TO DON SOME PROTECTION,
LIKE THIS KEVLAR GLOVE, WHICH I LIKE A LOT,
AND JUST RUN THE PIECES THROUGH--
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PRETTY, AND ODDS ARE IT WON'T BE.
THERE YOU GO.
NOW AS FAR AS DEALING WITH THE EGGPLANT, SAME ROUTINE.
JUST SLICE OFF A LITTLE BIT OF THE STEM END, IT'S A BIT ON THE *** SIDE,
BUT INSTEAD OF JUST HALVING, GO AHEAD AND QUARTER--
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT EASIER TO WORK WITH--
AND RUN IT THROUGH.
AND WORK AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN AS THESE SLICES WILL TURN BROWN WITH OXIDATION
IF YOU GIVE 'EM A CHANCE.
THERE.
NOW, FOR REASONS THAT WILL SOON BE REVEALED,
I WANT TO GET AS MUCH EXCESS MOISTURE OUT OF THESE AS POSSIBLE.
NOW I COULD JUST WRING 'EM OUT,
BUT THAT WOULD PROBABLY MANGLE THEM BEYOND USEFULNESS,
SO WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OSMOTIC PRESSURE, AND PURGE THEM,
A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN WITH BOTH OF THESE FOODS
IN PREVIOUS EPISODES.
SPRINKLE THE EGGPLANT AND THE ZUCCHINI WITH...
AND ALLOW TO PURGE FOR 20 MINUTES, TOSSING AFTER THE FIRST 10,
THIS WILL PULL OUT EXCESS MOISTURE,
WHICH IS OUR ENEMY IN THIS CASE.
CONSIDER THIS SHOCKING STATISTIC...
87.3 PERCENT OF ALL AMERICAN-MADE LASAGNAS
ARE WATERY, SWAMPY MESSES-- WHY?
WELL MOST OF THEM ARE COMPOSED OF
FULLY COOKED LASAGNA NOODLES THAT SIMPLY CANNOT DRINK UP
ANYMORE OF THE COOKING LIQUID, AND THEY USUALLY CONTAIN
A FAIR DOSE OF FLAVORLESS FACTORY-MADE RICOTTA CHEESE,
WHICH IS LIKE 10 PERCENT GRITTY AND 90 PERCENT WATER.
IN RESTAURANT ENVIRONMENTS, THE SITUATION IS EXACERBATED
BY THE USE OF TWO SAUCES--
A MEATY, REDDISH, BOLOGNESE RAGU,
AND A DAIRY-BASED BESCIAMELLA,
WHICH ESSENTIALLY IS A BECHAMEL SAUCE.
NOW THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IS THIS...
CAN WE GET THE FLAVORS OF THESE SAUCES INTO OUR LASAGNA
WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL LIQUID?
THE ANSWER, OF COURSE WE CAN.
THE ONLY LIQUID THAT I AM GOING TO ADD TO MY LASAGNA
WILL COME OUT OF A CAN.
THIS CAN...
ODDS ARE I'M ONLY GOING TO USE FIVE, MAYBE SIX TOMATOES
AND A LITTLE OF THE JUICE-- NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
"WHAT ABOUT THE BESCIAMELLA, THAT'S GOT MILK IN IT, RIGHT?"
WELL YEAH, IT DOES, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'VE ALREADY GOT PLENTY OF MOISTURE, I DON'T NEED ANYMORE OF THAT,
AND I'VE GOT PLENTY OF FAT IN THE DISH ALREADY.
ALL THAT I REALLY, REALLY NEED ARE MILK CARBS AND MILK PROTEINS.
SO WHY NOT USE MILK POWDER, HUH?
I LIKE GOAT MILK POWDER BECAUSE IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF FUNK IN THE FLAVOR,
BUT, REALLY ANY POWDERED MILK WILL DO BECAUSE, AGAIN,
I'M AFTER THE CARBS AND THE PROTEINS.
ONE INGREDIENT TO GO.
EACH YEAR, I TEND A LITTLE HERB PATCH OUT ON MY PORCH
CONSISTING OF OREGANO, MARJORAM, THYME, ROSEMARY,
BASIL AND SAGE.
SOME OF IT, I USE FRESH, BUT A GOOD BIT OF IT,
I ALLOW TO DRY AND CHOP IT UP IN MY FOOD PROCESSOR
TO MAKE MY VERY OWN ITALIAN HERB BLEND.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BOTHER, YOU COULD ALWAYS JUST,
YOU KNOW, BUY AN HERB BLEND, BUT IT WON'T BE NEARLY AS GOOD.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA NEED...
ALL RIGHT, TIME TO RESCUE OUR VEGETATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF MOISTURE HAS BEEN PULLED OUT,
RENDERING FLOPPY, NOODLE-LIKE STRIPS.
WE NEED TO RINSE AWAY THE EXCESS SALT AND BITTER COMPOUNDS,
ESPECIALLY FROM THE EGGPLANT, AND THE BEST WAY TO DRY IT OFF
IS THE SALAD SPINNER-- JUST GIVE THAT A FEW PUMPS OR PULLS
DEPENDING ON YOUR MAKE AND MODEL.
THERE--STAY.
GO AHEAD AND PULL THE NOODLES OUT OF WATER AND JUST LAY THEM OUT ONTO TEA TOWELS,
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE BONE-DRY, THERE.
NOW, IF OUR CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT, WE SHOULD HAVE
JUST ENOUGH LASAGNA TO TOP THE LASAGNA.
BUT ENOUGH TALK, WE BUILD.
BEGIN BY LAYERING THE WALLS OF THE CROCK WITH THE NOODLES.
IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE, BUT AS LONG AS THEY'RE MOIST,
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THEM TO STICK, AND BRING THEM ALL THE WAY UP
TO ABOUT 1/2 INCH FROM THE TOP.
THEN, SQUEEZE ONE OF THE CANNED TOMATOES INTO THE BOTTOM,
JUICE AND PULP AND ALL, AND THEN BREAK UP HALF OF THE SAUSAGE.
TOP WITH 1/4 OF THE POWDERED MILK, 1/4 OF THE FLOUR,
AND 1/4 OF THE HERB MIXTURE.
THEN ON TOP OF THAT COMES 1/4 OF THE VEGETATION...
OF COURSE THE MIXED ZUCCHINI/EGGPLANT, AND 1/4 OF THE MUSHROOMS.
JUST LAY IT OUT INTO A NICE, EVEN LAYER,
THEN YOU'RE GONNA TOP THAT WITH A LAYER OF NOODLES.
THAT IS LEVEL ONE AND WE'RE GOING TO REPEAT THIS THREE MORE TIMES.
I LIKE TO SQUEEZE DOWN EACH LEVEL WITH A POT LID
JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO BIG AIR POCKETS, OKAY?
REPEAT AGAIN WITH THE TOMATOES, SOME OF THE MEAT, SOME OF THE POWDERS,
SOME OF THE VEGETATION, AND THEN OF COURSE, ANOTHER LAYER OF NOODLES,
AND REPEAT, ALTERNATING THE SAUSAGE WITH THE PORK.
I LIKE TO BUILD SO THAT IN THE END,
MY FINAL LAYER HAS THE PORK GOING INTO IT,
RATHER THAN THE SAUSAGE, THERE IT GOES.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE KIND OF LID OF NOODLES
SHOULD ALWAYS BE MOISTENED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE CANNED TOMATO JUICE
JUST TO KEEP THINGS FROM DRYING.
NOW, AT THIS POINT, WE'VE GOT OPTIONS.
YOU COULD STASH THIS COVERED IN THE FRIDGE FOR UP TO TWO DAYS,
OR WE CAN MOVE DIRECTLY TO THE COOKING PHASE.
I AM NOW READY TO DIVULGE THE SECRET INGREDIENT,
THE SUBSTANCE THAT ALLOWS THIS LASAGNA TO TRIUMPH.
IT IS...TIME.
FIVE HOURS OF COOKING TIME AND YES, YOUR PATIENCE WILL BE REWARDED.
NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE SAYING, "HEY, I'M GONNA BE OUT OF THE HOUSE SEVEN HOURS,
"I CAN'T BE THERE TO BABYSIT THIS THING."
NO PROBLEM.
FANCY-SHMANCY NEW DIGITAL COOKERS TYPICALLY HAVE DELAYED COOK FUNCTIONS
AND AUTO-OFF FUNCTIONS.
ME, I PREFER TO MARRY TWO PROVEN OLD SCHOOL MULTI-TASKERS.
MY ANALOG-STYLE 3-QUART SLOW COOKER,
AND A STANDARD LAMP OR APPLIANCE TIMER.
AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE,
THIS IS THE KIND OF DEVICE, YOU PLUG A LAMP INTO
IN ORDER TO TRICK SOME BURGLAR INTO THINKING YOU'RE HOME WHEN YOU'RE NOT.
I AM SIMPLY GOING TO SET IT TO BEGIN COOKING, AH, SAY IN AN HOUR,
AND THEN TO DISCONTINUE FIVE HOURS LATER.
ACTIVATE THE DEVICE AND JUST WALK AWAY.
AAH, JUST SAVOR THAT AROMA.
OH, I'M SORRY, YOU CAN'T SMELL, CAN YOU? SORRY.
WELL LET ME ASSURE YOU, IT'S LIKE BEING GREETED BY...
(heavy Italian accent) YOU'RE A GOOD BOY.
SOMETIMES.
WHO KEEPS LETTIN' HER IN? OW!
HMM, YOU KNOW ONE OF THE MOST COMMON LASAGNA-CENTRIC COMPLAINTS
IS THAT IT CAN BE GREASY.
WELL WITH ALL THAT SAUSAGE IN THERE, HOW COULD IT NOT BE?
NOW IT'S A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO WRANGLE WITH
WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A RECTANGULAR VESSEL.
COOKING DEEP AND ROUND LIKE THIS GIVES US A VERY EFFECTIVE OPTION, HOWEVER.
SIMPLY TAKE A LID FROM A 2-QUART SAUCE PAN
AND PRESS DOWN LIKE THIS.
NOW THE FAT WILL GURGLE UP OVER THE SIDES
AND INTO THE TOP OF THE LID, PRETTY AS YOU PLEASE.
NOW SLOWLY LIFT OFF AND DISCARD, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT.
NOW, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT SO FAR, THIS LASAGNA IS COMPLETELY, TOTALLY
DEVOID OF CHEESE.
I, FOR ONE, HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THIS, WHATSOEVER.
BUT, IF CHEESY, OOEY-GOOEY GOODNESS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR YOU AND YOURS,
THEN GO AHEAD AND LAY, SAY, 4 OUNCES OF STANDARD GROCERY STORE MOZ
RIGHT ON TOP-- GRATED, OF COURSE, WOULD BE BEST.
REPLACE THE TOP AND ALLOW RESIDUAL HEAT TO DO ITS THING,
MELTING THE CHEESE-- SHOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES.
THEN OF COURSE, YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO BROWN THE CHEESE, AREN'T YOU?
FOR THAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED EITHER A BLOW TORCH, OR A HEAT GUN,
THE KIND THAT YOU BUY AT THE HARDWARE STORE AND YOU USE TO STRIP PAINT.
IT'S PRETTY GOOD AT BROWNING CHEESE AS WELL.
THERE, THAT LOOKS FINISHED.
NOW I REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S LASAGNA--
EVEN IF YOU ARE ITALIAN.
BUT THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, WITH FOUR DISTINCT LAYERS,
WITH ALL THE MEATY GOODNESS AND THE FLAVORFUL VEGETATION
AND SAUCE TO BIND, AND HERBS,
WHO CARES?
HMM, I WOULD SAY, IN FACT,
THIS IS 9.5 ON THE COMFORT FOOD METER.
CAN WE GO TO 10?
YOU HAVEN'T SEEN DESSERT YET.
THIS IS A SPHERE, IN GERMAN, KUGEL,
WHICH IS ALSO THE NAME OF WHAT MANY YIDDISH COOKS
WOULD NO DOUBT CONSIDER TO BE JEWISH LASAGNA.
ALTHOUGH SAVORY KUGELS ARE OFTEN MADE WITH LAYERS OF POTATOES AND THE LIKE,
MANY JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE WOULD AGREE THAT THE MOST COMFORTING KUGEL OF THEM ALL
ARE LOKSHUN KUGEL, NOODLE KUGEL.
AND ALTHOUGH FRESH EGG NOODLES ARE, STRICTLY SPEAKING...
♪ TRADITION ♪
LASAGNA, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, DOES AN EVEN BETTER JOB
WHEN SWEET KUGEL ARE ON THE MENU.
WE BEGIN BY COOKING...
IN ABOUT HALF A GALLON OF BOILING WATER,
UNTIL THEY JUST BECOME AL DENTE.
THEY WON'T BE MUSHY, JUST KIND OF FLOPPY,
LIKE THIS, PERFECT.
GO AHEAD AND DRAIN THOSE,
LET THEM COOL AND THEN LAY THEM OUT ON A CUTTING BOARD
SO THAT YOU CAN CUT THEM.
NOW I FIND THAT 1-INCH STRIPS ARE EASY TO PRODUCE WITH A PIZZA CUTTER,
A KNIFE TENDS TO GET REALLY GUMMED UP AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET HURT.
PUT IN A BOWL AND TOSS WITH...
THERE, NOW, AS FAR AS THE BAKING VESSEL GOES,
WE WANT AN 8X8 INCH GLASS DISH, SPRAYED WITH NON-STICK SPRAY.
IF YOU WOULD PREFER A CRUNCHIER KUGEL,
YOU CAN GO WITH A 9x13 BAKING DISH INSTEAD.
NOW AS FOR THE CUSTARD, INTO THE CARAFE OF YOUR BLENDER GOES...
NOW, MOVE THAT VERY CAREFULLY TO YOUR BLENDER
AND BLEND ON LOW OR MEDIUM UNTIL SMOOTH.
OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE GONNA STICK A CAMERA DOWN IN THE TOP OF YOUR BLENDER,
YOU WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW YOU DO THIS.
NOW I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS MIXTURE AND THINKING THAT IT'S VERY, VERY FATTY.
WELL, AS FAR AS THAT GOES...
I SAID IT WAS COMFORT FOOD, I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS SPA FOOD.
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS COMFORTING SPA FOOD.
WHEN SMOOTH, THE MIXTURE GOES ONTO THE NOODLES.
THEN COMES THE FRUIT...
STIR TO THOROUGHLY COMBINE AND THEN MOVE TO YOUR COOKING VESSEL.
TOP THAT WITH...
AND A TEASPOON OF...
I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT...
THAT'S RIGHT, NUTMEG, FRIENDS, FINELY GRATED.
COVER TIGHTLY WITH FOIL AND BAKE FOR 35 MINUTES AT 350 DEGREES.
AT THIS POINT, REMOVE THE FOIL AND BAKE FOR ANOTHER 15 TO 20 MINUTES,
OR UNTIL THE CUSTARD IS THOROUGHLY SET, AND THE NOODLES NICELY BROWNED.
THEN...
SERVE TO A THANKFUL, COMFORTED WORLD.
INDEED, KUGEL IS THE MOST COMFORTING DESSERT KNOWN TO MAN,
AND A MOST COMFORTABLE CULINARY COHORT
TO THE MOST COMFORTING CASSEROLE KNOWN TO MAN,
COMPOSED, OF COURSE, OF THE MOST COMFORTING INGREDIENT OF ALL TIME,
LASAGNA, OF COURSE.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP COMFORTABLE IN YOUR PANTS,
PORTION CONTROL IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
SEE YA NEXT TIME ON COMFORTABLE...GOOD EATS.
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