Ina Garten's Mushroom Lasagna Make Ahead?

[Bethcooks]

I have made this lasagna several times but always just a couple of hours before serving. Can one completely make it the night before, refrigerate and then bake the next day?

[Njchicaa]

I don't see why not. Lasagnas are great that way.

[Bethcooks]

This is not a tomato sauce type lasagna - it is a cream sauce. The leftovers did not heat well the next day because the sauce separated.

Here is link to the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...

I am making this for a vegetarian brunch so I don't want it to fail.

[Nyleve]

I've done exactly that and it turns out fine. Construct the lasagna completely, wrap tightly in foil or plastic and refrigerate. Remove wrappings the next day and bake - absolutely perfect. Lasagna is one of the things I make when i really do want to have all the heavy lifting out of the way ahead of time. I've made that very lasagna many times - love it.

[Bethcooks]

Thank you SO much - that will help me enormously. I was so hoping someone had made it and would give me advice.

[Nyleve]

You're welcome. I want to add that the reason reheated leftovers separate is that the whole business has already been cooked - a very different result than first-time cooking. I happen to have a frozen one of those stashed in the freezer for some lasagna emergency in the future - I made it in the fall after a successful mushroom-picking expedition that yielded an excess of fresh porcinis. Maybe will have to bake it soon...

[Bethcooks]

Thanks again. I can't try it this time - too close to event - but will try freezing it as that would be really convenient. My one gripe with this delicious dish is that it requires a lot of dishes/pots in the preparation so having it all ready to heat would truly be a time saver.

[hotoynoodle]

if time is crunched, you could also sauté the shrooms in advance. i always find that takes longer than it "should", and they will hold quite well for several days in the fridge.

[hotoynoodle]

all lasagnes can handle this. you may even find it's better to cook it, then simply reheat for service. the flavors meld nicely overnight.

[Bethcooks]

Bump up