Q: When freezing the lasagne, should we cook it or leave it uncooked?

A: Personally, I prefer to assemble, freeze and then bake. This way, the pasta doesn't get as mushy. In fact, if you use enough sauce and make sure the noodles are well-covered, you don't even have to boil them first.

Second, it saves a step because you can bake it straight from the freezer. Just add a little extra time to the baking, maybe 15 minutes.

And third, the National Pasta Association Web site agrees with me: Freeze, then bake.

A couple of tricks: Line the baking pan with foil. After the lasagne is frozen, remove it, wrap it well and store it in the freezer in a large resealable freezer bag. That frees up your lasagne pan. Also, you can bring it to a potluck later in a disposable pan and no one will have to fuss with returning a dish.

Also, if you use ricotta, drain it well and make sure to use whole-milk ricotta, to keep it from getting watery.

- Kathleen Purvis, McClatchy Newspapers