Tesco Gluten Free Lasagna Sheets

Lasagna / Lasagne

I've steered clear of gluten free pasta because very early on I found that I didn't like the heaviness of it. We gave this a go because we fancied Lasagna but didn't have any Rice Paper and couldn't find any during the weekly Tesco shop. The new recipe label gave me hope that maybe a new generation of gluten free pasta had arrived, but had it?

Upon opening the box and examining the pasta sheets there was no way of knowing, they did seem a little on the thick side but as it's been so long since I made a regular Lasagna I couldn't be sure.

(Sorry For The Blur)

It says that you have to blanch the sheets for 2 - 3 minutes before you can use them, or that you can cook them in a pan for 12 minutes. I choose to blanch but 2 - 3 minutes of soaking was nowhere near enough time for the sheets to get soft, I left then for around 15.

This Was Around Three Minute Of Soaking

By the time I considered them soft enough this is what the water looked like:

Looks Starchy

I used tongs to get them out and drain them but it was a tricky affair as they were quite stuck to each other.

Easy enough to lay in the dish once unstuck though.

Look Obviously Too Thick Now

Just did two layers and when serving they did hold together pretty well.

Pasta Lasagna

At first the pasta seemed okay, it was a bit on the thick side but it was, okay. After a few bites though the thickness mixed with an overpowering taste of flour - rice and corn - was just too much, it was super heavy and somewhat bland. My food is never bloody bland!

Despite using the same ingredients as the Rice Paper Lasagna - well, pretty much I used Parmesan instead of Gruyere and Leeks instead of Onions due to the suspected and now confirmed intolerance - the gluten free pasta managed to overpower everything. Even the wine.

There's no comparison between using this and Rice Paper, I don't see myself bothering with Pasta again. If you use three sheets of Rice Paper for each replacement layer of Pasta you get a really lovely soft and lightly chewy texture that works a treat. I highly recommend making gluten free Lasagna this way.

So a big thumbs down on Tesco gluten free Lasagna Sheets from me, I don't recall how much they cost (was £1.50 checked receipt thought it was more) but Rice Paper is sure to be way cheaper. There were 12 Pasta Sheets in the box, with Rice Paper - which I'm now back in possession of, yay - you get... (was going to count, no chance after seeing how many)...

This many:

Sh*tloads

Bearing in mind the 'new recipe' statement on the Lasagna Sheet box I dread to think what the previous recipe was like, so much for new generation.

On a totally unrelated but massively good note, I am returning to my most favourite place on earth in a few weeks; Watford.

I am going to HARRY POTTER LAND!!! the Harry Potter Studio Tour again.

Probably best that I stop typing now.