Lasagna Needs Fifteen Minutes Before Cutting

Lasagna is easier to serve when I stop treating the oven timer as the finish line.

My reliable version uses a 9x13-inch dish and goes into a 375°F oven covered with foil. I bake it for 45 minutes, then remove the foil for another 10 minutes so the mozzarella can brown. After that, I leave it alone for at least 15 minutes.

That last part is the difference between slices and a shallow landslide. The sauce thickens just enough to hold the layers together, and the first piece comes out clean instead of taking half the pan with it.

My short checklist:

• Let the sauce simmer before assembling.
• Put sauce under the first layer of noodles.
• Tent the foil so it does not stick to the cheese.
• Uncover for the final 10 minutes.
• Wait 15 minutes before serving.

I usually make the full pan even when dinner does not need it. The leftovers are easier to portion once the lasagna has cooled, and they reheat without turning the kitchen into a second cooking project.