The Baking Pan That Can Do It All Is Back in Stock

Amazon

I've acquired so many wacky kitchen tools over the past year that you'd think it would be hard to choose a favorite. Even though the ice cream maker and the portable pizza oven are in my top five, my number one pandemic purchase is something that, at first look, seems much more humble: a lasagna pan.

But this is no ordinary lasagna pan. The Chicago Metallic Professional Lasagna Trio Pan has three long rectangular indentations. The separation is unique in and of itself since the compartments allow for three distinct flavors of lasagna, yet it also ensures that every single piece of lasagna has crispy, crunchy edges. Another upside? I've found that lasagna cooks more evenly in this pan than in a standard baking dish. Instead of ending up with dry edges and an undercooked middle, this pan yields lasagna that's crunchy on the top, bottom, and sides, and just soft enough in the middle for the cheese to ooze without the noodles getting gummy.

Lasagna is a great way to use this pan, but it's a lasagna pan in name only. You can make nachos in this pan, or deep-dish pizza, or even mac and cheese. You can bake banana bread in this pan, or thick, fudgy brownies, or coffee cake topped with cinnamon streusel. The high sides and narrow width of each rectangle make this a great dish for something like eggplant parmesan since the bottoms and sides will get nice and crispy. It could even be fun to experiment and use this pan as more of a mold, making three kinds of Jell-O, or three flavors of tiramisu, or using it to chill homemade ice cream.

My favorite way to use this pan is in making sourdough focaccia. The trio allows for creativity with toppings, and the pan leads to focaccia with the ultimate crunchy-to-fluffy ratio: crispy bottoms and sides that balance out the airy interior. It's more versatile than a standard loaf pan since the loaves themselves are more elongated. The pan is also easy to clean with its nonstick surface and has thousands of five-star reviews from home cooks making everything from baguettes to casseroles.

If you're thinking about investing in a baking pan, this is the one for you. The trio is functional, but it also just makes experimenting in the kitchen so much fun. Just remember that bake times might be different depending on what's in each section of the pan, so make sure to keep an eye on your oven. The pan is 33% off right now, and often goes out of stock due to popularity, so make the move now to enjoy it right away.

Chicago Metallic Professional Lasagna Trio Pan (33% Off)

To buy: $18 (originally $30) at amazon.com