What is Lasagna?

Question

What is Lasagna?

TasteAtlas · Accepted Answer

Lasagna is a type of pasta with its own sub-group of numerous flavorful lasagna dishes. The main theory about the history of lasagna is that the word can be traced back to the Greek word laganon, denoting a flat sheet of dough that is cut into strips.

There is also another Greek word, lasanon, denoting an ancient crock-pot. The Romans adopted the word and turned it into lasanum, also referring to a cooking vessel, so lasagna is believed to refer to the vessel it was cooked in.

In fact, the dough sheets inspired the Greek version of lasagne in a dish called pastitsio. The pasta is traditionally made from flour and water, and is usually boiled in plenty of salted water, then sauced and baked. Wheat flour is commonly used today, but in the past, lasagna was also made with emmer, rye, chestnut, and corn flour, while saffron, spinach, or chard were used for coloring. Read more

Although the first recipe for lasagna is traced back to Naples, the term lasagna was coined in the 16th century in Trento, Italy, and the dish was reserved for festive days, consisting of layered pasta with fillings and sauces. In the 1800s, there was an emergence of baked lasagna dishes, known as lasagne al forno, especially in the south.

Of all the lasagne dishes, the most famous one is surely the bolognesi, available in almost every restaurant in Bologna today.