Cheapest white sauce for lasagne?

Mnoee

elsien said:

TheCheerleader said:

Hi Beckstar I use Nido milk powder to make up milk, then follow the usual method of butter, flour to make a roux. 

Never used it, but why not just use proper milk Instead of processed? 

I'll often use milk powder to make white sauce (and pancakes) as I don't have milk in hot drinks, so it's rare I'll have a pint in the fridge. 

Works just as well and means they can be spontaneous meals. Slightly more expensive per ml, last time I checked, but more convenient than storing uht then being stuck using whatever carton size it is. 

IrishRose12

I make my own with just the flour, butter and water.

I'm on the search for making cheaper red sauce for lasagne, instead of using the jars. I was looking at Pasatta today and wondering if just adding that with mushrooms etc would be a cheaper option.
Or someone once reccomended to me using cream of tomato soup

beckstar1975

Aah now for that I buy cheap tomatoes (here tinned are cheaper) and fry onion and garlic in oil, add tomatoes, salt, sugar and herbs and boil down. If I’ve got random veg I’ll add them in and then whizz it up when cooked (a hangover from hiding veg when kids were little). It costs a bit more than the cheapest jarred sauce but much healthier ingredients.

if you have a freezer it’s worth making tons and freezing portions. And was always told buying tinned plum toms and then chopping/squashing yourself better value than buying ready chopped (think ratio of pulp to juice).

saying that I always have a few tins of mutti toms as they do taste amazing, only for when the toms are star of the show. Not worth it when they’ll be cooked right down with other things

Rosa_Damascena

PipneyJane said:

Katiehound said:

Wondering if evaporated milk would work out cheaper- mix with equal quantity water.
59 pence for 410g tin in Aldi

The problem is the aftertaste from the evaporated milk would be pretty hard to mask. It won’t be as strong if it’s evaporated skimmed milk, but you may still taste a difference.  That’s the issue most people have with UHT milk - unless it’s UHT skimmed milk, it will taste different to fresh milk because of the “cooked” cream from the UHT process.

- Pip

I was thinking about unduly strong coffee yesterday (different topic completely) which bought back memories of continental holidays and mixing it with warmed UHT milk, and the craving kicked in immediately. So my question to the OP is: where are you buying UHT milk? Or is it long-life as opposed to being labelled / marketed as UHT?

beckstar1975

I have both long life and sterilised here as can buy both in the shops, assume the latter is what gives you the taste? DS got v into iced coffee made with condensed milk one of the coffee shops makes

Eldi_Dos

@beckstar1975
I am with you Mutti Plum Tomatoes are so tasty, always try and get a few tins when on offer.Other tinned tomatoes taste acidic compered to them. 
They make a great brushetta.

bouicca21

IrishRose12 said:

I make my own with just the flour, butter and water.

I'm on the search for making cheaper red sauce for lasagne, instead of using the jars. I was looking at Pasatta today and wondering if just adding that with mushrooms etc would be a cheaper option.
Or someone once reccomended to me using cream of tomato soup

I’ve never understood why people buy those jars.  All you need are tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs plus anything else you fancy (mushrooms, olives etc).  I tend to make mine with passata, or fresh tomatoes when they’re cheap.  Canned tomatoes work too.

PipneyJane

bouicca21 said:

IrishRose12 said:

I make my own with just the flour, butter and water.

I'm on the search for making cheaper red sauce for lasagne, instead of using the jars. I was looking at Pasatta today and wondering if just adding that with mushrooms etc would be a cheaper option.
Or someone once reccomended to me using cream of tomato soup

I’ve never understood why people buy those jars.  All you need are tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs plus anything else you fancy (mushrooms, olives etc).  I tend to make mine with passata, or fresh tomatoes when they’re cheap.  Canned tomatoes work too.

Ditto @bouicca21

@IrishRose12 Here’s how to make a tomato sauce:  gently fry a chopped onion in olive oil together with a couple of crushed cloves of garlic (or use a heaped teaspoon of lazy garlic).  When the onion is clear, add some sliced mushrooms (if desired) and fry until the water they make evaporates.  Stir in a tin or two of chopped tomatoes together with a level teaspoon of dried basil, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.  At this point, taste the sauce.  If too sour, add a sprinkle of sugar and simmer for another 10 minutes.  If too sweet, add a splash of lemon juice and simmer for another 10 minutes.  

HTH.  It costs about 50p, depending on the price of the tin of tomatoes and whether you use one or two tins.

@Rosa_Damascena  I buy UHT milk in MrT’s, Sainsbugs or L!dl, depending on where I’m shopping.  It’s frequently in the baking products aisle, but in my local MrT’s it’s tucked away with the cans of creamed rice.

- Pip

silverwhistle

Nobody has mentioned meat in the sauce. For lasagne I'd make a big batch of ragu' which can be used in the lasagne and portions also frozen to add to tagliatelle when a quick meal is needed. The Italian way is not to have too much sauce with the pasta so the frozen portions don't have to be too large.

Bechamel sauce can also be used in other dishes if you make a good quantity. I've bought the Lidl stuff but home made is better and cheaper and I know exactly what's gone in to it.

Wraithlady

Bechamel also freezes fairly well - it sometimes separates out when defrosted but a good stir re-integrates it