Why you should bake lasagna in a glass dish, not a metal one.
Baking the lasagna in a glass dish prevents the aluminum from a metal dish from making the tomato sauce bitter and leaving the pasta grayish.
“it keeps the ingredients nice and condensed, versus each layer being spread thinly in a larger pan.”
Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food: its layers of tender pasta, tomato sauce, and melted cheese evoke memories of family dinners. It freezes well and can be adapted to any taste, with Italian sausage, spinach, or even more cheese.
Its history is transatlantic. In Italy, it was a dish for special occasions and celebrations, and upon crossing the Atlantic, it became a staple in American homes. Although it can be found in restaurants and the frozen food section, homemade tastes better.
Chef Michael Symon told Food & Wine that he prefers a 23 x 33 cm tray because "it keeps the ingredients compact, unlike larger trays where each layer is too thin."
Metal baking dishes are great for brownies, but not for pasta. They're mostly made of aluminum, which reacts with acidic ingredients like tomato sauce. This reaction makes the sauce bitter, and the aluminum can leach into the pasta, leaving it gray and discolored.
Glass doesn't contain aluminum, so the layers of sauce, pasta, and cheese don't undergo that chemical reaction. It also retains heat longer than metal, keeping the lasagna hot when served, and it's more non-stick, making cleanup easier. For a lasagna without bitterness and with melted cheese, a glass baking dish is the best choice.
