Don’t mistake Cordon Bleu-trained chef Mary Berry for a staunch traditionalist ― she’s not afraid to shake up classic recipes, like spaghetti bolognese. 

She even uses chicken in a white sauce weekday version of lasagne. 

But for her more elaborate, Italian-style version, the former Great British Bake-Off host likes to keep it old school and take her sweet time. 

Not only does she like to rest her lasagne for a minimum of half an hour once it comes out of the oven so the slices stay intact when you cut into it, but she also thinks we should be taking an added step hours before we even switch the appliance on.

Mary Berry “stands” her lasagne before cooking it

In her lasagne recipe, Mary says: “for the best results leave the lasagne to stand for six hours before cooking” after assembling it.

She does this “so that the pasta can start to soften”. 

If you’re using fresh pasta sheets, have a very saucy lasagne, or don’t have a high pasta-to-sauce ratio, you might not need to pre-cook them before putting them in a lasagne.

But if you’ve ever faced those tooth-shatteringly hard burnt corners of uncooked pasta sheets in a lasagne before or chewed through gummy layers, you’ll know that some dried sheets require at least a five-minute jacuzzi ahead of being added to the dish. 

Mary Berry’s recipe not only solves that problem, but also allows the dish’s flavours to mingle together before she cooks it. 

And here’s some good news for people who like to make their recipes ahead of time ― most lasagne recipes can be made up to two days ahead. 

If you want to do that with this recipe, not only will you have an easier weeknight dinner, but you’ll also have softer pasta and a potentially more delicious sauce.

You’re probably not resting your lasagne enough after cooking either

I get it ― it’s hard to resist that bubbling tray of tomato and cheese when it leaves the oven.

But according to food site Tasting Table, not only should you definitely let the dish relax for a while, but the 20-minute period most people recommend probably isn’t long enough. 

The ideal time is closer to half an hour and can be as long as 45 minutes, they say. 

I definitely think Mary’s pre-bake trick is easier to follow...