CASSEROLE BASICS

THE CHALLENGE WHEN MAKING A GOOD casserole is keeping the ingredients as fresh tasting as possible. Too many casseroles are overcooked and dull, reminiscent of the worst cafeteria cuisine. That's because the ingredients are generally double-cooked. For example, pasta is boiled then baked and pot pie filling is stewed then baked. Our solution to all this cooking is to keep oven time to a minimum.

We found the best casseroles are made in a fairly shallow baking dish and cooked at a high oven temperature. This reduces cooking time to just a fraction of the time suggested in many cookbooks. Some casseroles can be in and out of the oven in just 15 minutes. Tasted against longer baking and slower ovens, this quick method wins hands down every time. Vegetables are fresher tasting (and looking), and pasta, grains and beans have a better texture and are far less likely to be mushy.

The casserole comes in hundreds of different shapes and sizes. For the purpose of this book, we have limited ourselves to main-course casseroles.

We have divided the book into chapters based on the starch that holds the casserole together–pastry and biscuits (for pot pies), pasta, rice and grains, beans, and potatoes. Throughout, we have stayed true to the American spirit of these dishes, while using fresh ingredients of the highest quality. Yes, you can make a casserole with canned soup, but it won't taste as good as a casserole made with homemade sauce and vegetables you cook yourself. We think good results always justify an extra 10 minutes of work.

Our preference for fresh ingredients has, however, been coupled with an attempt to keep prep times as short as possible. Casseroles are meant to be convenience foods–a complete supper in a covered dish. There's no sense taking simple food and making it so complicated you would never make the recipe. We have consistently searched for shortcuts (like no-boil lasagne noodles and chicken pot pies that start with boneless, skinless breasts and canned broth) that deliver the best combination of flavor and convenience.