Homemade lasagne in the Ninja Crispi: the right height setting

The desire for lasagne often leads to stacking layers right up to the edge of the dish. In the 3.8 L container, that is the best way to get a charred top and raw pasta at the very bottom. The restricted space requires an adjustment.

After a few disappointing attempts, I realised that you have to stop assembling at half the height. The heat circulates better, the dry pasta sheets absorb the sauce and the cheese gratines gently. A version of Ninja Crispi lasagne that is much easier to manage on a weeknight.

Homemade lasagne in the Ninja Crispi: the right height setting

Recipe by Marion LundCourse: Main dishCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

portions

Prep

20

minutes

Cook

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

Homemade lasagne assembled to half height for even gratinating and a piping hot core, all prepared in the 3.8 L container.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 dry lasagne sheets (depending on size)

• 400 g minced beef

• 500 g tomato coulis

• 1 onion

• 20 g butter

• 20 g flour

• 250 ml milk

• 100 g grated Gruyère or mozzarella

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

• In a pan, sauté the chopped onion with the oil, stir in the minced beef, then the tomato coulis. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Prepare the béchamel sauce with the butter, flour and milk in a saucepan. Keep the bolognese sauce slightly liquid: the moisture is necessary to rehydrate the lasagne sheets during cooking.
• Remove the crisper plate and assemble the lasagne directly in the 3.8 L container: a layer of meat, lasagne sheets, béchamel, and repeat to get 3 layers maximum. The preparation must not exceed half the height of the container to allow air to circulate and keep the top away from the heat source.
• Finish with a layer of béchamel. Spread the cheese evenly over the entire surface for uniform browning.
• Place the adapter and the PowerPod on the container. Select the Roast mode, set the timer to 40 minutes, then press START to begin. On a Crispi Pro or a DualZone: Roast at 190 °C, same duration. On the 5-mode Pro, use the Bake mode at 190 °C for 40 minutes. Monitor the cooking through the glass of the container: the top browns gradually and the sauce bubbles at the edges. At the end, the tip of a knife goes through the sheets easily.
• Wait for the beep, then let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Let the gratin set while switched off: the portions will hold together much better when cutting.

Courgette and ricotta variant

For a vegetarian dish, swap the meat for pan-seared courgette slices, combined with a mixture of ricotta and baby spinach.

Why the 3.8 L container and the Roast mode

The large 3.8 L container provides the necessary surface area to spread out the lasagne sheets without too much overlapping. The challenge with this dish is to cook the pasta through to the core.

This is why I choose the Roast mode.

Here are the settings according to your device:

• Basic Crispi: Roast, 40 minutes, in the 3.8 L container with the adapter.
• Crispi Pro: Roast at 190 °C, 40 minutes.
• Pro 5 modes: no Roast, Bake at 190 °C, 40 minutes.

The importance of sauce and layering

The mistake in a restricted container is to fill the container to the brim. The hot air no longer circulates, and the centre of the dish may remain lukewarm.

The correction is simple: limit the assembly to half the height of the 3.8 L container.

Monitor the progress through the glass of the container. You should see the sauce bubbling gently at the edges while the top takes on a beautiful golden colour.

Clean slicing and storing leftovers

Cutting piping hot lasagne often ends in a mess. The resting time allows the pasta to finish absorbing the liquid and the cheese to firm up.

The container yields four dense portions. Wait until completely cooled before putting on the storage lid.

The next day, warm the leftovers in the microwave first (without the crisper plate), then in Recrisp mode for 5 to 12 minutes. The cheese will regain some texture without drying out.

What is your personal technique for assembling lasagne in this reduced format without it overflowing?

Frequently asked questions

Can I prepare this dish in the 1.4 L container?

Yes, for one or two portions. You will need to break the dry sheets to line the bottom, significantly limit the thickness and lower the cooking time while monitoring often through the glass.

Should the lasagne pasta be cooked before assembly?

Not if your bolognese provides enough moisture and remains supple. In the case of a very compact meat mixture, briefly run the dry sheets under hot water just before layering. With pasta that is already cooked, make my pasta bake instead.

The crust browns too quickly during cooking, what should I do?

It is the sign of stacking too high: the top is too close to the PowerPod, hence the half-height limit. If the top colours before the end, push the tip of a knife into the centre: when it goes through the sheets easily, the lasagne is cooked and you can stop.