Everything about Lasagna totally explained
Lasagna (singular, in Italian; plural
lasagne pronounced [laˈzaɲe]) is both a form of
pasta in sheets (sometimes rippled, though seldom so in
Italy) and also a dish, sometimes named
lasagne al forno (meaning "oven-cooked lasagne") made with alternate layers of pasta,
cheese, and often
ragù (a
meat sauce) or
tomato sauce.
The word
lasagna, which originally applied to a cooking pot, now simply describes the food itself. Most English-speaking people follow the Italian usage and use the plural "lasagne" to refer to both the dish and the pasta, but Americans commonly use the singular "lasagna". For example,
"Weird Al" Yankovic (an American singer and songwriter) used this spelling for his song "
Lasagna", which is as a parody of "
La Bamba".
Variants
Various recipes call for several kinds of cheese, most often
ricotta and
mozzarella. The classic Lasagne alla Bolognese uses only
Parmigiano Reggiano. Many recipes also add
béchamel sauce (besciamella).
A variant is
Lasagne verde (green lasagne) which is the normal egg pasta with
spinach added. Other variations include vegetarian or seafood versions of the dish. This concept is acknowledged by the writers of the
Seinfeld episode called "
The Butter Shave", in which "Vegetable Lasagna" was the nickname given by
Elaine Benes to the airline passenger next to her.
Łazanki is a similar dish made in
eastern Europe.
Origin
Although the dish is generally believed to have originated in
Italy, the word "lasagna" is derived from the
Greek word
λάσανα (
lasana) or
λάσανον (
lasanon) meaning "trivet or stand for a pot", "chamber pot". The word was later borrowed by the Romans as "lasanum" to mean cooking pot. The Italians then used the word to refer to the dish in which what is now known as lasagne is made. Another theory suggests that lasagna might have come from Greek
λάγανον (
laganon), a kind of flat sheet of pasta dough cut into stripes.
The recipe was featured in the first cookbook ever written in England, leading to an urban legend that the dish originated in the British Isles. The claim is dubious, due to the much earlier
Roman use of "lasanum", and the Italian embassy in
London particularly speaks out against such theories.
Because of its Italian association, lasagne is the favourite food of fictional Italian characters such as
Mario (as stated in
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3) and
Joey Tribbiani from
Friends (who is of Italian descent). Lasagne is also favored by other fictional characters, perhaps most famously the cartoon cat
Garfield. Another example is in the movie
Clerks, when Dante's decision to stay with his girlfriend is swayed by the fact that she brings him lasagne at work.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Lasagna'.
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