Lasagna product

Abstract

In a machine for preparing precooked lasagna. A mixer for combining ingredients necessary for the preparation of pasta and an extruder for forming at least two uncooked strips of pasta. After passing the strips through the cooker, they are deposited into a cooling tank where they are allowed to accumulate. A separator and guide means aligns the noodles on top of one another as they pass out of the cooling tank. The noodles are then passed above and below the nozzle where a filler material is deposited between the strips. The strips are then cut for packaging. An improved lasagna product wherein the edges are scalloped and a noodle is corrugated for improved sauce migration.

I claim: 
     
       1. A machine for the production of precooked lasagna comprising: means for mixing flour and eggs to a predetermined consistency;   an extruder for receiving said flour and egg mixture and extruding at least two continuous strips of broad lasagna type noodles;   means for transporting the strips being extruded through a cooker;   a cooling tank in close proximity to the cooker for reception of the noodles as they exit from the cooker, said tank being of sufficient size to contain a predetermined amount of noodles so as to provide slack and prevent breaking of the noodle strips;   means for suspending the noodle strips above the tank as said strips are drawn from the tank thereby allowing said strips to unwind;   means for aligning one of the strips on top of the other;   means for filling the space between the noodle strips with a previously chose filler; and   means for cutting the now precooked lasagna into pieces of predetermined size.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said suspending means also serves as means for separating the noodle strips. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the suspending and separation means also acts as a means for aligning the noodle strips in the same axial plane. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said separating and aligning means consists of two parallel bars separated a predetermined distance from each other and suspended above the tank, whereby one of the noodle strips is passed over both the first and second bar in the pair and the other noodle is passed over only the second bar. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 4 including a guide secured to the second bar through which both noodle strips are passed such that one noodle strip is aligned on top of the other noodle strip. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said parallel bars are suspended at least one foot over the tank. 
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 4 wherein said filling means further comprises a means for conveying the two strips from the tank and along a predetermined path; a nozzle secured above said conveying means a sufficient distance to allow one of the noodle strips to pass beneath the nozzle; and   inclined means for lifting the top noodle strip off of the lower strip and directing it over said nozzle.   
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7 including means for realigning the noodle strips on top of one another after they have passed the nozzle and the predetermined substance has been inserted between the strips. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 7 wherein said inclined means comprises external curved surfaces of said nozzle. 
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 8 wherein said inclined means for realigning the noodle strips comprises flanges attached to said nozzle; whereby said noodles are guided superposed and realigned on top of one another. .Iadd.11. A machine for production of precooked lasagna comprising: means for mixing flour and eggs to a predetermined consistency;   an extruder for receiving said flour and egg mixture and extruding at least two continuous strips of broad lasagna type noodles;   means for transporting the strips being extruded through a cooker;   a cooling tank in close proximity to the cooker for reception of the noodles as they exit from the cooker, said tank being of sufficient size to contain a predetermined amount of noodles so as to provide slack and prevent breaking of the noodle strips;   means for suspending the noodle strips above the tank as said strips are drawn from the tank thereby allowing said strips to unwind;   means for aligning the strips in registry with one another;   means for applying a filling on one of the noodle strips with a previously chosen filler;   means for aligning the other strip on top of the filling; and   means for cutting the now precooked lasagna into pieces of predetermined size. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said suspending means also serves as means for separating the noodle strips. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the suspending and separating means also acts as a means for aligning the noodles in registry with one another. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said separation and aligning means consists of two parallel bars separated a predetermined distance from each other and suspended above the tank whereby one of the noodle strips is passed over both the first and second bar in the pair and the other noodle is passed over only second bar. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The invention of claim 15 wherein said filling means further comprises a means for conveying the two strips from the tank and along a predetermined path;   a nozzle secured above said conveying means a sufficient distance to allow one of the noodle strips to pass beneath the nozzle; and   means for directing the other noodle strip on top of the strip that passed beneath the nozzle such that the noodle strips are aligned on top of one another after they have passed the nozzle and the predetermined substance has been inserted between the strips. .Iaddend.