Today’s spotlight is on Lasagna.

Lasagna is considered one of the oldest pasta dishes in Italian cuisine. Lasagna has a long history and cultural significance in Italy and other countries. It symbolizes comfort, tradition, and family and is often served as a shared meal at the dinner table. Initially, lasagna was originally reserved for special events and holidays.

The origin of lasagna can be traced back to Ancient Greece. The name “lasagna” or “lasagne” comes from the Greek word “Laganon”, which was the first known form of pasta. “Laganon” was a dish made from sheets of dough cut into thin strips and composed of layers of pasta and sauce. It’s believed that the first lasagna dishes were developed in Ancient Greece, making lasagna a pasta dish that has been enjoyed for thousands of years.

The ancient Romans conquered the ancient Greeks in 146 BC and were introduced to “laganon”. The Romans took the pasta back home and created a primitive version of lasagna called “lasagne patina”. The modern version of lasagna was invented sometime during the Middle Ages between 1544 and 1692, most likely in either Emilia Romagna or Naples.

Lasagna is a pasta dish made with broad noodles and a tomato or white sauce. In the south of Italy, lasagna is generally made with dried sheets of pasta layered with rich meat ragú, ricotta, and mozzarella. In the north, especially in Bologna, the most popular version of lasagna features fresh egg pasta colored green with spinach and layered with ragú, bechamel, and Parmigiano Reggiano. The term “lasagne” is used in the plural in the north of Italy, while “lasagna” is used in the singular in the south.

Traditionally, the dough was prepared in Southern Italy with semolina and water and in the northern regions, where semolina was not available, with flour and eggs. Meat was scarce and costly in southern Italy, making lasagna an expensive dish to make.

In Italian, the word “lasagna” refers to a flat sheet of pasta. The plural form, “lasagne”, refers to the dish. The name comes from the Latin word “laganon” which means “thin strips of bread or wheat” and was the first known form of pasta. The Romans borrowed the word “lasanum” which means “cooking pot”. The Italians used the word to refer to the cookware in which lasagna is made. Later, the food took on the name of the serving dish.

There’s written evidence of a dish with layers of dough, meats, and cheeses in the 1st century AD cookbook De Re Coquinaria by Apicius. However, a recipe for something similar to modern lasagna didn’t appear until the Middle Ages in the 14th century in a English cookbook. The oldest transcribed text about lasagna appears back in 1282. The modern version of lasagna was invented between 1544 and 1692, most likely in Emilia Romagna or Naples.

The traditional lasagna of Naples, called “Lasagna di Carnevale”, is made with local sausage, fried meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, ricotta or mozzarella, and Neapolitan Ragu. Some say that Americans were the first to put meat in lasagna. Italian lasagna is traditionally seasoned with ragù and bechamel, while American lasagna typically uses tomato sauce with meat.

 

 

Here Are Some Fun Facts About Lasagna:

• The modern version of lasagna originated in Naples during the Middle Ages
• In 16th-century Italy, both savory and sweet lasagna dishes were popular.
• In the Marche region, lasagna is layered with offal, béchamel, and grated cheese.
• “Weird Al” Yankovic wrote a parody cover of “La bamba” by Los Lobos called “Lasagna”, which is a satire on Italians and Italian food.
• The comic character Garfield loves lasagna, which is a combination of pasta, marinara, and cheese.

 

There are several reasons why lasagna is a famous pasta dish. Every Italian region has its own traditional recipe for lasagna. Some Bologna-based restaurateurs popularized the use of spinach in the dough in the early 20th century.

Here is a Lasagna Recipe for you to Try.

Powder Fort

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered ginger
• 1/4 cup long pepper, ground
• 1/4 cup cinnamon (Ceylon), ground
• 1 1//2 tsp. cloves, ground
• 1/4 cup black pepper, ground
• 1 tsp. cubebs.
• 1 tsp. grains of paradise

 

Instructions

• Combine all seasonings and mix.
• Powder fort is ready to use.

 

Meat Sauce for Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 jars spaghetti sauce, any brand
• 2 (6-oz) cans tomato paste

 

Instructions

• Brown ground beef; drain grease.
• Over low heat, mix in spaghetti sauce.
• Add and mix in tomato paste.
• Warm up and let sit for 30 minutes before use.

 

Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 gallon chicken broth (or water)
• lasagna noodles
• meat sauce (recipe above)
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil (optional)
• Powder fort (recipe above)

 

Instructions

1. Bring 1 gallon of chicken broth to a boil (you may also use plain water).
2. Safely and slowly place the lasagna noodles in boiling broth (or water) until desired taste and tenderness.
3. If needed, start making the meat sauce now.
4. After the lasagna noodles are at your desired taste and tenderness, spread them out over a large, dry towel and lightly sprinkle the noodles with Parmesan cheese. You may use olive oil also before sprinkling the Parmesan cheese.
5. Butter the bottom of a large casserole dish and start spreading evenly one layer of the lasagna noodles.
6. Cover generously with Parmesan cheese. (You could continue to use Parmesan cheese as the original recipe calls for or try switching it up by using cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, etc.).
7. Carefully put another layer of lasagna noodles down evenly.
8. You could spread the powder fort evenly as the original recipe calls for, or you could just use a generous amount of meat sauce.
9. Carefully put another layer of lasagna noodles down evenly and spread a cheese of your choice (mozzarella is most preferred). Cover carefully another layer of noodles.
10. You could spread more powder fort evenly as the original recipe calls for, or, once again, you could use the meat sauce.
11. Cover with Parmesan cheese (or another cheese of your choice).

 

 

National Pasta Day was established in 1995 as part of the World Pasta Congress. The Congress brought together experts from around the world to discuss the significance of pasta and its international reach. Pasta arrived in the United States in the late 19th century when many Italian immigrants moved to America.

We’d love to hear about your favorite lasagna. Let us know in the comments.