Tips from Vegetarian Classics

By Jeanne Lemlin

When making pancakes, French toast, or waffles for a large group of people, prepare them in batches and keep warm in the oven. Simply preheat the oven to 350-degrees and place a baking sheet inside so that it may heat up. As each batch is prepared, layer it on the baking sheet and keep warm until ready to serve.
To speed up the often tedious process of making lasagna, use no-boil noodles. If they are unavailable, however, traditional lasagna noodles may be substituted without pre-cooking. Just assemble the dish with the uncooked noodles, using plenty of sauce and a pan big enough for expansion. Then measure 1/2 cup boiling water and pour a quarter of it into each corner of the pan. Voila! You have lasagna minus the bother of boiling the noodles beforehand.
For a frittata without the fuss of watching it on the stove, try baking it instead. Butter a pie plate and pour in your egg mixture. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, inserting a knife in the center to check that it's done. The knife should come out almost dry.
When using puff pastry to make tart crust, avoid baking it in a bright metal pan, such as that made of aluminum. This type of pan tends to be a poor conductor of heat and as such, prevents even browning. For a perfectly baked flaky crust, use a black or dark tart pan with a removable rim or a glass pie plate.
To make a quick from-scratch pizza dough that doesn't require rising, use baking powder as a leavener rather than the traditional yeast. The resulting crust is crisp yet surprisingly tender, with a recipe for its preparation featured in the cookbook.

Vegetarian Classics
300 Essential Recipes for Every Course and Every Meal
By Jeanne Lemlin
HarperCollins, May 2001
Hardcover, $27.50
ISBN: 0-06-019482-0
Information provided by the publisher.