stut

For the sake of clarity... "Cottage cheese" in the UK normally means large (i.e. lumpy) curd cheese (and hence low acid). "Curd cheese" comes in various forms, including ricotta (although this is strictly a "whey cheese"), mostly in Northern England, and tends to be small curd (so a smooth consistency) with an acidic tang. German-style Quark is also becoming more popular over here.

(If you've never had a Yorkshire curd tart, made from small curd cheese, with lemon curd, currants and spices, then I urge you to try one if you happen upon it, it's a delicious thing!)

emma69

I have to disagree. Lasagne is one of my 'oh heck, unexpected people' dishes (as is a roast chicken). I typically make 2 of them, one meat based and one veggie based (as I don't eat meat), and it is really quick to whip up a meat sauce, a white sauce (or ricotta with egg and herbs) and stack it up. I sometimes make the veggie one in a meat style (meaning I use a ground veggie protein with tomato to make a ragu) and sometimes I just use veggies. Then all you really need is a crisp green salad.

I also occasionally make a baked gnocci, which is essentially the same ingredients, minus the pasta, without the layering (and it cooks quicker).

It's lovely to not have to spend time in the kitchen when you have people over, and you can just throw them in to cook and not have to worry about them until the pinger goes!

TCD

I'd assumed it was some weird family thing, but then happened to see a BBC Saturday Kitchen where a chef with a Welsh connection mentioned using cottage cheese.

Thanks stut, I should have made that point myself. UK Cottage cheese is pretty different to anything I've encountered in Italy.

Goodness me, I'd forgotten all about Yorkshire curd tarts, despite being a born-and-bred Yorkshireman. I wonder if I can source one in New York or if I'm going to have to look for a recipe.

stut

I have the Betty's recipe somewhere. The key things are that you have a savoury pastry (no pate sucree please, this is Yorkshire), no need to blind bake. Line the pastry with the lemon curd. Then you basically make a small cake batter to bind, then add in the curds (ricotta works just fine), currants, cinnamon and nutmeg (to taste - which in my case is always 'generous'). Bake. Enjoy. Glass of Chateau de Chasselas optional.

Knocks a cheesecake into a cocked hat.

TCD

Ta stut, I might give it a go this weekend. Although I think the only possible drink to accompany is a strong mug of Yorkshire tea!

milepig

So. Olive Garden is running this commercial for "Chicken Parm Lasagne" which is a stack of Chicken Parm. The people all say "I've never had lasagne like this" I scream "it isn't lasagne"!!

kipper

I've not seen that one. I have seen the never-ending lasagna, chicken parm, or something else (I don't remember what).

krispy84

I have a small pot of hate reserved for chicken lasagne. I like chicken, I love lasagne, but for some reason the combination just gets me furious!

milepig

From the ad, it appears to have no actual pasta - just a stack of breaded chicken layered with white cheeze.

teddybear99

That sounds more like a stacked Chicken Parmagiana.

braslvr

Absolutely agree. Chicken also has no place on a pizza, or anything breakfast.

Pa Kettle

I agree, but it's apparently a thing, though. Google up chicken parm lasagne and multiple recipes, blogs, and videos come up including this one that has pictures, though it is from early 2016 and not the same thing in their most recent ads.