What to serve with Lasagna?

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Michael Hoffman)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:20:06 GMT

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Foodbme)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:58:57 GMT

Michael Hoffman

Might as well just use smelt and not waste good anchovies.

Deep Frying Anchovies??? I thought I Smelt something Fishy!

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Michael Hoffman)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:39:44 GMT

Might as well just use smelt and not waste good anchovies.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (chewingthefat)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:55:18 GMT

joerogo

Chewy, You really don't understand this Italian thing of ours

Batter dipped? Deep fried? To perfectly good anchovies? Tony's grandmother would probably wack you a couple times with her shoe.

The garlic cheese toast sounds good though. As long as you use Italian bread and asiago

In that case forget the Anchovies, how about some Frosted Flakes with a good EVOO on them?
Actually Joe I've had the Anchovies at some Italian place in LA, crunchy and really delicious, with the cheese garlic toast, try them, eggwash, seasoned flour Anchovies double dregged, deep fry till real crispy.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (ALLGOOD)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:36:06 GMT

I have always made "Grandma's Salad" as a side dish with lasagna:
-1 head iceberg lettuce washed torn and patted dry.
-1/2 C sour cream mixed with 3 TBSP vinegar.
-1/2 C mayonnaise (NOT miracle whip) mixed with 2 TBSP vinegar
-1 lb good quality bacon, fried
-1 spanish (purple) onion slided into thin rings.
-1 small bag shredded parmesan cheese.
Place the lettuce in the bottom of a 9x11 pan. Drizzle with the sour cream/vinegar mix. Put the onion rings on top of this. Drizzle with the mayo/vinegar mix. Put the bacon (broken into small pieces) on top of this. Sprinkle with the package of shredded parmesan cheese. Refrigerate up to one day (best right away). Yummy. G-ma developed this recipe on her own in the late '40's and it was the highlight of many a potluck/family picnic in Oshkosh, WI for years.... I'm now making it a highlight in the Milwaukee area.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (CajunKing)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:47:18 GMT

Mar52

My father and I have been doing the Chinese for Christmas Dinner thing for many a year. Reminds me of the "Christmas Story" movie when they bring the roast duck with the head still attached.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (CajunKing)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:44:11 GMT

agnesrob

I like Broccoli Rabe sauted with olive oil and garlic. If you're not a fan of Broccoli Rabe then maybe sauteed spinach. But I agree with Joerogo, my lasagna only needs a salad as a side.

You beat me to it!

Broccoli Rabe chopped and sauted with garlic and olive oil and some red pepper flake

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (mar52)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:52:34 GMT

No Chinese food for Christmas?

I now have a whole slew of Italian relatives so the holidays have become tasty.

At the La Grassa's the lasagna is just one of the many dishes that come before the main meal. Amazing food!

This is what I serve with my lasagna:

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Michael Hoffman)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:32:32 GMT

When was a kid there was the high school football game in the Yale Bowl every Thanksgiving morning, followed by a 2 o'clock Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparents' home. After that I was always off to the home of any one of a dozen other families' Thanksgiving dinners where lasagna was always on the table, along with the turkey and stuff. Christmas was the same, except for the football game.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Foodbme)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:14:54 GMT

The only side Lasagna needs is some fresh baked Italian Bread with EVOO and a glass of Chianti! And of course, a checkered napkin tucked in your shirt so you don't splash sauce on your Sunday Tie!

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (BelleReve)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:49:15 GMT

I don't think it needs anything else except a salad and garlic bread, but I second 6Star's recommendation for Italian green beans, or maybe some type of eggplant dish. There's an Italian restaurant that I go to that serves a small portion of fettucine Alfredo, and Italian beans on the same plate (about the size of a butter plate) with some of their entrees, but not with their lasagna.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (joerogo)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:18:58 GMT

Chewy, You really don't understand this Italian thing of ours

Batter dipped? Deep fried? To perfectly good anchovies? Tony's grandmother would probably wack you a couple times with her shoe.

The garlic cheese toast sounds good though. As long as you use Italian bread and asiago

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (chewingthefat)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:06:14 GMT

How about some serious garlic cheese toast served with a batterred deep fried plate of whole Anchovies.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (leethebard)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:37:41 GMT

Tony Bad

leethebard

Yes,in the mid fifties,our Italian thanksgiving feast (or any big holiday)lasted all day and course after course...Turkey came after a pasta course,such as lasagna, homemade ravioli or manicotti, but usually lasagna,,,lots of talk and wine slowly between courses....but as I implied above...lasagna is a solo dish...hell, you don't serve a side next to a bowl of stew....Italian pasta dishes(especially lasagna, don't comeor even look right) with a side, and as for sausage or meatballs, they were in the lasagna, anyway!!!

That was our holiday as well lee, but as kids we would get so filled up on the lasagna we wouldn't make it back to the table until fruit and nuts were being served. Nice memories...before the family moved all over the country and holidays meant a full house.

Same here, Tony. Our large family of eight aunts and uncles and their kids is scattered all over the country, but I have those memories of those 50's food orgies...and I've talked to many Italians who have similar memories to ours...those all day multi-multi course dinners......I know of one restaurant in Rome that actually tries to duplicate that and serves a multi course extravaganza that takes hours and hours to eat, wine and liquor included.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (the ancient mariner)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:10:10 GMT

Having heard from our Italian paisanos---Joe Rogo (great pictures, convinced me to make lasagna for St Patrick's Day-2011) ----Tony Bad
and Lee the Bard---- on the subject. I have to tell you that in Ireland it is served with cabbage, a boiled potato and a six pack.

Here in Florida it comes with a cuban sauce, and a Grouper
sandwich.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (BillyB)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:08:33 GMT

joerogo

Tony Bad

joerogo

Lasanga does not need or want a side dish.

I never heard of serving anything with lasagna, well maybe an extra meatball or piece of sausage. Everything mentioned would make a good appetizer, but the lasagna should stand alone!

You sure about that Joe? As a kid the "side dish" to my grandmother's lasagna was thanksgiving dinner, or christmas dinner, or easter dinner. I never got past the lasagna until I was about 10.

Don't make me dig up my pasta before turkey thread....again.

Here is a lasagna from Thanksgiving past

Before dinner you will see stuff like this

[/quote
Hey Joe ,you want to put a side of meatballs with that lasagna. You crazy carnivore.....The Lasagna looks great a long with the antipasto............

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Tony Bad)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:53:25 GMT

leethebard

Yes,in the mid fifties,our Italian thanksgiving feast (or any big holiday)lasted all day and course after course...Turkey came after a pasta course,such as lasagna, homemade ravioli or manicotti, but usually lasagna,,,lots of talk and wine slowly between courses....but as I implied above...lasagna is a solo dish...hell, you don't serve a side next to a bowl of stew....Italian pasta dishes(especially lasagna, don't comeor even look right) with a side, and as for sausage or meatballs, they were in the lasagna, anyway!!!

That was our holiday as well lee, but as kids we would get so filled up on the lasagna we wouldn't make it back to the table until fruit and nuts were being served. Nice memories...before the family moved all over the country and holidays meant a full house.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Michael Hoffman)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:46:33 GMT

Ah, sauteed rabe with garlic, olive oil and beans. I love this with good sausage. By the way, leftover rabe and beans makes for a nice sauce for pennoni.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (joerogo)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:43:49 GMT

Tony Bad

joerogo

Lasanga does not need or want a side dish.

I never heard of serving anything with lasagna, well maybe an extra meatball or piece of sausage. Everything mentioned would make a good appetizer, but the lasagna should stand alone!

You sure about that Joe? As a kid the "side dish" to my grandmother's lasagna was thanksgiving dinner, or christmas dinner, or easter dinner. I never got past the lasagna until I was about 10.

Don't make me dig up my pasta before turkey thread....again.

Here is a lasagna from Thanksgiving past

Before dinner you will see stuff like this

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (agnesrob)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:30:06 GMT

I like Broccoli Rabe sauted with olive oil and garlic. If you're not a fan of Broccoli Rabe then maybe sauteed spinach. But I agree with Joerogo, my lasagna only needs a salad as a side.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (BillyB)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:28:15 GMT

Michael Hoffman

Instead of just a salad, try individual antipasto plates as sides. But the suggestion of beans and greens sounds pretty darned good, too.

I agree with Michael, an Antipasto would be an excellent idea. No matter how good the Lasagna is, it's nice to move to another item on the plate for a different taste. I used to serve a Antipasto by arranging salami. provolone cheese, strips of Roasted red peppers, Pepperoncini, Olives, Pickled Artichokes, Marinated mushrooms, on a bed of chopped Romaine lettuce, then sprinkle a good olive oil and red wine vinegar over the top....................

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Greymo)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 07:16:44 GMT

My lasagna has sliced Italian sausage in it, so as sides I serve a bowl of meatballs with extra sauce and either salad or spinach sauteed with garlic and oil.

Sometimes, we have a antipasto platter as a first course and then just the lasagna with bowl of meatballs and Italian bread.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (wheregreggeats.com)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:54:31 GMT

I always kind of crave something vegetable-ish with lasagna.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (leethebard)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:37:26 GMT

Yes,in the mid fifties,our Italian thanksgiving feast (or any big holiday)lasted all day and course after course...Turkey came after a pasta course,such as lasagna, homemade ravioli or manicotti, but usually lasagna,,,lots of talk and wine slowly between courses....but as I implied above...lasagna is a solo dish...hell, you don't serve a side next to a bowl of stew....Italian pasta dishes(especially lasagna, don't comeor even look right) with a side, and as for sausage or meatballs, they were in the lasagna, anyway!!!

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Tony Bad)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:07:17 GMT

joerogo

Lasanga does not need or want a side dish.

I never heard of serving anything with lasagna, well maybe an extra meatball or piece of sausage. Everything mentioned would make a good appetizer, but the lasagna should stand alone!

You sure about that Joe? As a kid the "side dish" to my grandmother's lasagna was thanksgiving dinner, or christmas dinner, or easter dinner. I never got past the lasagna until I was about 10.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (6star)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:39:33 GMT

There is always the logical choice: Italian Green Beans!

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (joerogo)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:33:45 GMT

Lasanga does not need or want a side dish.

I never heard of serving anything with lasagna, well maybe an extra meatball or piece of sausage. Everything mentioned would make a good appetizer, but the lasagna should stand alone!

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Large Man)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:16:32 GMT

In high school they used to serve corn with it. Pizza had corn on the side too! It was 26 years ago!

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (wheregreggeats.com)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:09:21 GMT

I thought zucchini, summer squash, right off the bat.

Re:What to serve with Lasagna? (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:07:29 GMT

As a side dish?