Ready for anything
Convenience may be key with that ultimate in eat-in economy, the ready meal, but do they really taste that bad? We gave five of our most seasoned gastropods a free reign on six oven-ready lasagnes and the results proved that spending more doesn’t guarantee you quality.
Marks and Spencer lasagne al forno made with beef bolognese, chianti wine and grana padano cheese. £5.19. Seataerflar set/rid'rrg d-sh from MXS tastes lam/liar. . .
‘V.siiaf!y this isn't too bad . . . It looks tolesome. though more of a home econoii‘irt‘s project than a gourmet experience. so 0”
for presentation. It looks dry on top
but is sloppy underneath . . . know that flavour. it's HOIIV tinned ravioli! I used to eat this wl ten l was seven . . O. for taste. It's not that you‘re exixxlrng it should taste straight from your Italian
grai idriiothei '5; table but you have to ask \'.lt£tt you're (jetting for your money. \iA'fi'llCll here isn't \‘O' y much to be her iest.'
Heart Buchanan Vegetarian Lasagne made with roasted Mediterranean vegetables. £3.95.
(Skisgeiv's pie/trier deli g; )ts rust/c.
'lts lll’)'(,‘ like a veggie iiioussaka than a lasagne. . . there is
f;()l‘.l(:’tl «ing nice and earthy abetrt it though. It doesn't have the spices and herbs I would be exptxmng in lasagne. the slices of roasted aubergzne. onion and pepper that make up the layers are huge and they just take over . . the onion permeates the whole dish and the flavours don't eoi inect like they should. It's nice to look at so it gets me for that but just no
for taste. Somewhere between wholesome and downright mountainous. Doesn't have shape or consistency of lasagne but still has a few ii'tteresting surprises.‘ Henderson’s Vegetarian Lasagne. £4.20. Edir il)i Irgh vegetarian institution
‘I expected veggie lasagne just to taste like normal lasagne but with VOQOIZIDICS instead of the meat, but in both cases here the veggies have taken over the aSylurn . . . Black pepper overload . . . I don't like rt at all, it's courgette overload too. Not saucy enough and there's no definition to the layers . . .
for taste for presentation.‘
dismpponiting. O. and 0.. Gourmet Pasta Beef Lasagne. £2.50.
A pasta disaster from the gourmands.
fifij‘i l3 ..
3 ‘Oh God. that looks like something ; out of a Hammer horror movie . . .
there is a hell of a lot of pasta in this one. This is a case of lasagne which has been adapted for our supposedly bland British tastes. where there is much more meat
and tomato and virtually no herbs.
ricotta or even mozzarella on top . . . it just tastes like meat and noodles to me. and the minced beef is ground down till it’s almost a powder. a for both taste and presentation. Proof that economy isn't everything.‘
Teaco Finest Laeagne,
primed minced beef cooked with red wine and pancetta.
£3.10.
Lasagna for the masses. Not great. ‘This looks right. gooey and inviting so 0000 for presentation . . . you can taste the separation between layers — it hasn‘t just become a mulch . . . but it tastes a bit flat. no tang to it
. . . you can tell they‘ve spent more
' on good ingredients and you can
tell it's good pasta and decent quality meat. but it’s surprisingly bland. no taste . . . you kind
I of feel a machine has made it, it doesn't look homemade . . . it has
bechamel sauce in it. another British indulgence. that's not in old school Italian lasagne.’
. Marcella’a Beef Lasagna. j £3.00. High class feed from modest
Tollcross Ital/an bakery. ‘It looks good — homemade - and
smells really nice, You just want to
keep on eating it. Just the right consistency. not gloopy. and each element holds its own. There's just the right amount of pasta and a nice amount of cheese as well. The balance of herbs is correct. not too much pepper or things added to it. 00000 for taste.
‘It's in a plastic tub but still looked good . . . so for presentation it gets .00.. too. It tastes like it is from Mama's table. or as close as you're goingtogetif'itcomesoutofabox.
Walks all over the rest of them . . . so
much better.‘
Glasgow
v: Dellzlque
66 Hyndland Road. Partick, 0747 339 2000. Mon—Sat 9am—8pm; Sun 9am—8pm. wwwdeerique.co.u/<. The perfect crusty Italian bread is to be found here as are pastas from one of the city's finest.
* Celllno’a
622—624 Alexandra Parade, Dennnistoun, 0147 554 0523. Mon—Sat 8. 30am— 5.30pm. The kind of place where decent food has come before culinary fashion for years. Now a raft of wines and liqueurs jostle for space in this family-run business.
«k Garlic
793 Shett/eston Road, Shettleston, 0141 763 0399. Tue—Sat 70am—6pm; Closed Sun/Mon. A place to indulge in that rarely perfected piece of Italian culinary genius: the calzone. That's just the tip of the iceberg for Garlic though, and its pasta — both fresh and dried — are fantastic. * Heart Buchanan 380 Byres Road. 0747 334 7626. Mon-Fri
8. 30am—9. 30pm; Sat Qam-—9.30pm; Sun noon-7pm. www. heartbuchanan.co.uk. Small in stature but mighty in serving power. Not an Italian joint per 38; more of a provider of all that is great in deli food.
19 Jan—2 Feb 2006 THE LIST 21
The best pre-cooked food
Edinburgh
a: Anima
77 Henderson Row, 0737 558 2978. Mon—Wed noon—2.30pm, 5—70pm; Thu—Sat noon—2. 30pm, 5—7 7 pm; Sun 5—70pm; The sister shop to legendary chippie L'Alba Doro next door provides Italian food from made scratch - hot and ready to go.
* Gourmet Pasta 54-56 Morningside Road, 0737 447 4750. Mon—Fri 9am—6pm; Sat 9am-6pm. Closed Sun. This place sells all the pasta you could ever imagine. including some new ideas with ravioli.
it Henderson’s
92 Hanover Street, 0737 225 6694. Mon—Fri 8am— 7pm; Sat 9am—6pm. Closed Sun. The veggie equivalent of Mecca. with daily specials.
at: Marcella’a Italian Bakery
28 Brougham Place. 0737622 5787. Mon—Sat noon- 7 0pm; Closed Sun. Tollcross residents are spoilt rotten with the Quality stream of homey Italian cakes. bread and pasta on offer here.
* Vaivona & Corolla 79 Elm Row. Leith Walk, 0737 556 6066. Mon—Sat 8am—6.30pm; Sun 77am—5pm. Branded an Edinburgh deli institution and rightly so.