Cheapest white sauce for lasagne?

PipneyJane

Rosa_Damascena said:

PipneyJane said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Thanks @PipneyJane, I shall investigate. I looked carefully at Lidl's long life milk yesterday and although homogenised (as one might expect) it is not UHT, and that is the taste I have been craving.

Sorry to contradict you @Rosa_Damascena but it is UHT.  Here’s a photo of their long-life skimmed milk that I took yesterday:



The thought occurs to me that the taste you’re craving is the cooked cream taste from UHT full cream milk.  Personally, I can’t stand it, which is why I only buy UHT Skimmed Milk (tastes much more like fresh to me).

- Pip

Happy to be corrected! I picked up the green carton (SS), I'm not sure they have full fat. I am sitting here craving Jersey milk now (a treat I only allow myself if a yellow sticker is applied).

The big question @Rosa_Damascena did it taste the way you remembered?

- Pip

Rosa_Damascena

PipneyJane said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

PipneyJane said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Thanks @PipneyJane, I shall investigate. I looked carefully at Lidl's long life milk yesterday and although homogenised (as one might expect) it is not UHT, and that is the taste I have been craving.

Sorry to contradict you @Rosa_Damascena but it is UHT.  Here’s a photo of their long-life skimmed milk that I took yesterday:



The thought occurs to me that the taste you’re craving is the cooked cream taste from UHT full cream milk.  Personally, I can’t stand it, which is why I only buy UHT Skimmed Milk (tastes much more like fresh to me).

- Pip

Happy to be corrected! I picked up the green carton (SS), I'm not sure they have full fat. I am sitting here craving Jersey milk now (a treat I only allow myself if a yellow sticker is applied).

The big question @Rosa_Damascena did it taste the way you remembered?

- Pip

Jersey milk - yes. Only twice as delicious to my adult taste buds.

IrishRose12

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.

I have always bought the jars as I like plain tomato, I don't like onions, garlic etc. Also, in all honesty, they make my life easier... I don't get in from work until 6pm some nights, and I'm out from 7.30 in the morning. I work in a school so my job doesn't stop at the work doors unfortunately so most days I have some sort of planning, washing, prepping etc to do for the class the next day. This evening for example, I have done 2 loads of washing of our dressing up clothes, so they're currently on the radiators and airers drying before being folded and taken back in tomorrow. The dolls clothes were washed and dried outside last week in the lovely warm weather we had. I've also got my elderly parents and family commitments to take care of too, so easy and handy is what I need.

IrishRose12

PipneyJane said:

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

Thanls for that PipneyJane. I'll see about giving it a go this weekend if I get a chance

bouicca21

IrishRose12 said:

bouicca21 said:

I have always bought the jars as I like plain tomato, I don't like onions, garlic etc. Also, in all honesty, they make my life easier... I don't get in from work until 6pm some nights, and I'm out from 7.30 in the morning. I work in a school so my job doesn't stop at the work doors unfortunately so most days I have some sort of planning, washing, prepping etc to do for the class the next day. This evening for example, I have done 2 loads of washing of our dressing up clothes, so they're currently on the radiators and airers drying before being folded and taken back in tomorrow. The dolls clothes were washed and dried outside last week in the lovely warm weather we had. I've also got my elderly parents and family commitments to take care of too, so easy and handy is what I need.

Entirely understand that balancing time v cost means that time wins.  But if you do have the time (and can maybe do it in advance at a less stressful time) here’s a list of the ingredients for a £3 jar of a popular branded pasta sauce that shows just how much the markup must be: Tomatoes (60%), Tomato Purée, Garlic Purée, Basil (2.5%), Rapeseed Oil, Sugar, Sea Salt, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Dried Basil, Ground Black Pepper.

A compromise might be using something non branded.  Sainsburys own brand is only 69p and actually has a higher tomato content: Tomatoes (72%), Tomato Purée (13%), Onions (6%), Sugar, Garlic Purée (2%), Water, Modified Maize Starch, Salt, Parsley, Dried Garlic, Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid; Basil, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Ground Black Pepper.

I’m not too keen on the modified maize starch (or is that just jargon for cornflour?) but if I were looking to save money and time I might give it a go. 

Matty246

I used to use tomatoes mashed a bit with fried onions and thickened with cornflour. I I think the recipe said to add a bit of sugar and vinigar too but I didn't bother with those. I don't use the cornflour now as I'm on my own and don't need to stretch it.