This supermarket sells the very best ready-made lasagne bolognese
Can you admit, as a foodie, that sometimes you’d rather go for ready-made? I certainly can. Sometimes you want something quick and easy, without having to think. No, ready-made food doesn’t come close to homemade, but it can definitely be tasty. The same goes for Jumbo’s ready-made lasagne bolognese.
That’s what a test panel full of culinary pros from AD discovered. The panel, consisting of chef and cookbook author Vanja van der Leeden (from Italopop!), food blogger Brenda Hoff, cooking enthusiast and soon to be chef Sepp van Dijk, and Enrico Cioccolini, manager of Utrecht restaurant Il Pozzo, tasted no fewer than nine ready-made supermarket lasagnes. With some reluctance, admittedly. It had been a very long time since the panel members had heated up a ready-made lasagne. Some had never even done it.
Requirements for lasagne
A good lasagne has to meet a few requirements. For one thing, it needs to have at least three layers: anything less simply won’t do. Vanja also points out that lasagne shouldn’t be too dry, but certainly not too wet either. A good balance between the tomato sauce and béchamel is crucial to the flavour. The béchamel should also be slightly browned, with the occasional crispy bit here and there. The minced meat? It absolutely needs to be well seasoned, otherwise the whole thing will be bland. Preferably a mix of pork and beef mince, too. And on top of that, the pasta sheets need to be cooked al dente. Taking notes?
Jumbo: the winner
The question is: can a simple supermarket lasagne meet such a long list of requirements? Jumbo’s lasagne comes fairly close, at least. According to the panel, it may not win any beauty contests, but the flavour is genuinely good. The lasagne has plenty of pasta layers and “the quality of the ingredients is relatively high,” says Vanja van der Leeden. According to Enrico Cioccolini, Jumbo’s lasagne could almost—with the emphasis on almost—pass for an Italian one. You can put that in your pocket, Jumbo. Another accolade for the trophy cabinet!
No-go
The biggest disappointment? Aldi’s lasagne. What stood out to the panel most was that it contains only two layers of pasta. A no-go, as we now know. Someone even blurted out, “What is this?!” Ouch.
Bolognese vs. ragù
Besides now knowing which ready-made lasagne bolognese to buy, we also learn something about the product itself. Because did you know that, officially, it shouldn’t actually be called “bolognese” at all? We’re so used to it, but in Bologna, lasagne is traditionally made with ragù. Yep, there really are differences between bolognese and ragù. Traditional ragù uses only a little tomato paste and mainly plenty of onion, carrot and celery. See, we may sometimes have little desire to spend a long time cooking elaborate meals in the kitchen… but we’re always hungry for knowledge about food.
Read also:
- This surprising ingredient turns your lasagne into a showstopper
- You have to try this way of reheating lasagne
- The 10 worst-rated dishes from Italy
Source: AD
