PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

my food falls apart

Options
Whenever I make a vegetable pie or veggie lasagna the fillings don't seem to hold together, whenever you take a chunk out the insides just seem to go everywhere. I'm sure everyone elses sticks together pretty well, where am I going wrong?
Rough recipes
Pie
Saute onions, add garlic and green chilis
All vegetables I can find, i.e. spinach, peppers, sweetcorn, chick peas, tomatio, boiled carrots/ potato, little bit of chopped tomatoes
Add spices and cook veggies
Put in an oven tray and top with mash and cheese mix and cook in oven
I make sure no liquid goes in from the pan and all the veggies are squished down a little bit. I thought the veggies might be releasing water but there doesn't seem to be much when it comes out.

Lasagna (pretty much the same as above)
Onions, peppers, cougettes, tomato spices/garlic/chili
layer with lasagna sheets and top with sauce and cheese.

Do I need to make the fillings sauce based to make them stick together (dont really want to as these are nice because they don't just taste like veggies in tomato sauce?
Help :o
Yes Your Dukeiness :D
«1

Comments

  • rosieben
    rosieben Posts: 5,010 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I always put a little sauce or gravy in pies and I make a tomato/onion sauce and a white sauce for the layers in lasagne. I think your filling is too dry? :)
    ... don't throw the string away. You always need string! :D

    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener
  • exlibris
    exlibris Posts: 696 Forumite
    Mine do too. I thought it was normal.
    I like a soft filling for those kinds of dishes saves making gravy!
  • lilian1977
    lilian1977 Posts: 5,157 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I know that with lasagne, cooking it twice helps it to firm up and improves the flavour - so cook it, let it cool overnight, then cover with foil and cook again.
    My debt free diary | Post Office loan: £2131 1429.38 | Barclaycard: £4429 1988.12 | Paypal Credit £322.71 574.91 | Monzo Flex £169.03 |

    Total £4151.44 | £2900.30 of £7051.74 paid off since diary started October 2024.
  • pollyskettle
    pollyskettle Posts: 2,163 Forumite
    My lasagne is famously called 'Lasagne Soup' by anyone who experiences it! It tastes great, but just kind of collapses on serving.

    Meatballs defy me too.

    Can't help, just wanted you to know you are not alone!
    "A cat can have kittens in the oven, but that don't make them biscuits." - Mary Cooper
    "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful" - William Morris
    Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
  • ubamother
    ubamother Posts: 1,190 Forumite
    I agree with Lilian - the letting is cool thing helps solidify everything if that's what you want. If you want it really solid add a little flour to your meat mix so it 'sets' as it cools the way the white sauce will.

    With the veggies, they probably are releasing water which is probably being absorbed by the mash. an egg mixed in with the cheesy mash might help this stay firm
  • ragz_2
    ragz_2 Posts: 3,254 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Always leave lasagne to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Same with pies - the fillings then "congeal" a bit. Tastes better than it sounds!
    June Grocery Challenge £493.33/£500 July £/£500
    2 adults, 3 teens
    Progress is easier to acheive than perfection.
  • janb5
    janb5 Posts: 2,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    reehsetin wrote: »
    Whenever I make a vegetable pie or veggie lasagna the fillings don't seem to hold together, whenever you take a chunk out the insides just seem to go everywhere. I'm sure everyone elses sticks together pretty well, where am I going wrong?
    Rough recipes
    Pie
    Saute onions, add garlic and green chilis
    All vegetables I can find, i.e. spinach, peppers, sweetcorn, chick peas, tomatio, boiled carrots/ potato, little bit of chopped tomatoes
    Add spices and cook veggies
    Put in an oven tray and top with mash and cheese mix and cook in oven
    I make sure no liquid goes in from the pan and all the veggies are squished down a little bit. I thought the veggies might be releasing water but there doesn't seem to be much when it comes out.

    Lasagna (pretty much the same as above)
    Onions, peppers, cougettes, tomato spices/garlic/chili
    layer with lasagna sheets and top with sauce and cheese.

    Do I need to make the fillings sauce based to make them stick together (dont really want to as these are nice because they don't just taste like veggies in tomato sauce?
    Help :o

    Would it help making a white sauce with/without cheese which would help with the problem. I think your recipes/ingredients are fine but maybe that is the problem. The white sauces/ragus arent as difficult as people make out particularly if you invest in a good whisk. I can always pm you if you like with some help?

    Jan
  • reehsetin
    reehsetin Posts: 4,916 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for all the help
    I'm ok with making sauces just I like these dishes as they don't taste tomatoy where as they probably would with a tomato sauce and not a fan of white sauce just use a little on top for the lasagna. Looks like I'll have to test them out with more sauce and hopefully they'll hold together a bit more. Glad to hear I'm not the only one though!
    Yes Your Dukeiness :D
  • My lasagne is famously called 'Lasagne Soup' by anyone who experiences it! It tastes great, but just kind of collapses on serving.

    Meatballs defy me too.

    Can't help, just wanted you to know you are not alone!

    When the OH makes meatballs, he rolls up about a dozen at a time (about the size of a walnut in its shell) and microwaves them for a couple of minutes. This firms them up and removes some of the fat. He then decants them into whatever sauce he's using and heats them gently till fully cooked, they seem to stay together pretty well doing it that way and also not making them too big helps.

    regards CWR
    Over futile odds
    And laughed at by the gods
    And now the final frame
    Love is a losing game
  • kunekune
    kunekune Posts: 1,909 Forumite
    When we do meatballs, we do something similar. I cook them in the oven and then add them into the sauce at the end. It isn't quite as nice, but it makes catering for a mix of meat and non-meat eaters easier.

    With the lasagne, perhaps look at alternatives to a cheese sauce such as ricotta. I used to do a nice one with grated butternut squash and ricotta as the layer in between and no tomato at all.
    Mortgage started on 22.5.09 : £129,600
    Overpayments to date: £3000
    June grocery challenge: 400/600
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.