The Clever Way Italians Build Their Lasagna

When you are looking to prepare authentic Italian food, there are many rules to follow if you want to get it just right. And when we're talking about one of the most comforting dishes — lasagna — the technique is especially important. In fact, the tactic of crisscrossing the pasta sheets when building the lasagna's intricate layers — meaning in the first pasta layer, you have the sheets running vertically on the tray, and the next time you add the pasta you lay them horizontally, and so on — has a couple of different benefits. Food Republic spoke to Rena Awada, the owner and Head Chef at Healthy Fitness Meals LLC, to learn more about why Italians layer their lasagna in this way — and if you should start doing it yourself.

"Italians do this to help the lasagna hold its shape better when slicing," Awada said. "If all the layers go the same way, the lasagna can slide apart when you cut into it. By crisscrossing the pasta sheets, you create a sturdier structure that keeps everything together." When you think about it, layering your lasagna like this really is a no-brainer. Additionally, stacking the pasta sheets in this way when layering your lasagna can also aid in how the dish actually bakes in the oven. The expert confirmed this, stating, "It also helps the sauce and cheese spread more evenly — so every bite has a good balance of flavors and textures." 

If you want to achieve restaurant-quality lasagna at home, consider crisscrossing those lasagna sheets. Of course, there are other common mistakes everyone makes when making lasagna that you should try to avoid. One that can affect the overall consistency of the dish is not draining your pasta well enough. "If you're using regular lasagna noodles, make sure to cook them just until al dente and then drain and layer them quickly," Rena Awada suggested. "If there's too much water left, it can make your lasagna too watery and affect the texture." When draining, feel free to pat the sheets dry with clean paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Additionally, layering lasagna with too much sauce is another mistake you'll want to take care to avoid. "You want just enough sauce to coat each layer evenly without drowning it," Awada said. "A well-balanced lasagna should hold its shape when you cut into it — not slide apart into a sloppy mess." When in doubt, add a little less sauce than you might want to, spread it out, and then continue with another scoop if necessary. Remember that you can always add more, but once you've poured too much sauce onto your layer, it's difficult to remove it.