The Lasagna Tip Giada De Laurentiis Gave To The Royal Family
In 2011, Giada De Laurentiis was invited to cook for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they made an appearance at the Foundation Polo Challenge in Santa Barbara, California. At the event, Prince William took the opportunity to ask the "Everyday Italian" host where he'd gone wrong when he'd tried (but failed) to make an impressive lasagna for his wife, Catherine.
The chef told him that there were two keys to remember when making a great lasagna: Put plenty of sauce on top, and you've got to let it rest, like a steak, before you slice into it. There's been no word on whether the royal followed De Laurentiis' advice, but he'd be smart to, as she surely knows what she's talking about when it comes to Italian food.
It may come as a surprise that Prince William does his own cooking at all, considering that the British royal family employs some of the best chefs in the world. Despite this, several members happen to also enjoy preparing food for themselves from time to time.
According to People, William revealed that, while he does some cooking, it's his wife who is the superstar in the kitchen. William admitted that he can "do a mean steak" while Catherine once said he was very good at making breakfast. But when it comes to Prince William's own affinity for Italian food, that may have been influenced by his father, King Charles III, as it's been reported he's a huge fan of this type of cuisine.
Giada's tips: don't skimp on sauce and let the lasagna rest
According to Giada De Laurentiis, there are a few things that can help make a lasagna a memorable dish. First, an adequate amount of sauce on top will help it develop a crust and will keep the top noodles from drying out and becoming hard from the heat of the oven. Many (perhaps even the royal family) would agree that the best part of a lasagna are those crisp, crusty pieces and edges that develop in the oven, which is also likely one of the reasons why De Laurentiis' sheet pan lasagna went viral.
Then there's the tip to let your just-out-of-the-oven lasagna sit undisturbed for a bit; this step is key in ensuring the pasta dish will hold its shape once you cut into it. A just-baked lasagna is piping hot and a lot of the liquid from the sauce, cheese, and meat will seep out if you hack into it right away. Meaning, all that liquid will run into the pan, leaving you with limp, wonky pieces. Give it a good 10 to 15 minutes to rest to ensure the liquids will absorb back into the lasagna first.
More tips for making the perfect lasagna
Lasagna is one of the world's great comfort foods and should be treated with reverence. In addition to the tips Giada De Laurentiis shared with Prince William, there are additional ways to ensure your pan turns out perfect every time. Many agree that the lasagna shortcut of no-boil noodles is not a proper substitution for dried lasagna noodles. Although they're a major time-saver, professional chefs say the texture of ready pasta will affect the overall taste of the final dish.
We're all about getting your full serving of vegetables too, but when it comes to lasagna, don't go overboard as too much could add a lot of extra liquid to the dish, resulting in spillage in the oven or an overall watery result. With that in mind, fresh mozzarella is delicious but, again, it does contain a lot of liquid. If you opt to use it, grate it first and then gently press it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to absorb the excess water.
Because lasagna requires a long baking time, it's also a good idea to cover the pan with foil while it cooks, removing it only during the last 15 minutes or so of baking to get the top nice and brown.