Lasagna

Italian dishes are the only ones in the world that everyone knows about. People all over continents have heard of pizza, prosciutto or spaghetti. And of course, everyone heard of lasagna. It is not just Italian casserole with minced meat or Garfield cat’s favorite dish. Lasagna is a type of pasta like spaghetti and farfalle.

Like pizza, lasagna did not always have such a shape and appearance. It was prepared according to another recipe, which remotely resembles the classic one that we know now. Formerly lasagne was a wheat cake stuffed with meat and sauce. Moreover, at that time there were no tomatoes in Italy. Therefore, the sauce was prepared without adding them.

The name of the dish has several variants of origin:

• From the word leganon – the wheat cake with which lasagna was made of.
• From the word lasanum – the baking mold, which the ancient Romans used for cooking this dish.
• From the word lagani – the wide strips of pasta, which are still used to make lasagna.

Lasagna is the beginning of Italian cuisine. Like any other dish, in different regions lasagna is prepared in different ways. But everyone tries to make recipe like the classic one because it is the perfect combination of dough, meat, cheese, and spices.

At the initial stage of its existence, lasagna was a meal on the tables of nobles and kings. But only in the Middle Ages it moved to the tables of ordinary people and stayed there forever.

Lasagna – a classic meal at the family dinner or celebration. This is a hot dish that can not be replaced. And there is no reason to replace it. This dish does not need a side dish. Lasagna, a drink and good company are the key to a great time around the table.

Classic Lasagna Recipe

In Italy, there are about 10 ways to cook lasagna. Ingredients are used the same, but the cooking process and the flow differ in different regions.

Lasagna dough is made from durum wheat, then rolled into thin sheets. In some regions, flour is replaced by semolina. After that, the dough is dried on the fire or in the oven. Lasagna sheets have their own name, like every paste. They are called laganon or laganum.

The second equally important ingredient is minced meat. In the northern Italy lasagna is served with minced pork and beef. And in such regions as, for example, Umbria and Marche, lasagna with chicken or chicken offal are popular. In some regions, minced meat is replaced with sausages or whole pieces of meat. And sometimes the meat is completely removed. Vegetarian lasagna can include eggplants, beans or pepper.

And the final important ingredient is the sauce. Since lasagna bolognese is considered the most classic version, every Italian knows how to make bechamel sauce for it. The composition of the famous sauce includes milk, butter, nutmeg and, a little salt.

For decorating lasagna using parmesan cheese and basil. These ingredients will not only give the dish a beautiful look but also add spicy taste.

Calorie and healthy food

Despite the fact that lasagna seems to be a fairly high-calorie dish with an impressive composition, per 100 grams of product – 227 kcal. The dish has a good ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrates:

• protein – 12g
• fats – 19g
• carbohydrates – 15g

Due to this ratio of components, lasagna is an excellent delicacy for those who want to eat healthy food.

Well, for those who are on a diet, there is a light version of lasagna. Most of the calories are in the sauce, so instead of milk and butter, add low-fat yogurt, cream cheese or kefir. Thanks to them, the dish is lighter High-calorie pig-beef meat can be replaced with turkey or chicken. It is also tasty. Instead of wheat dough for pasta, can be used thin pita bread or cabbage leaves.

Vegetarian lasagna

As mentioned earlier, lasagna has a vegetarian recipe, that appeared relatively recently. Vegetable lasagna is preferred not only by those who refuse meat. Even without minced meat, this Italian dish has its own unique taste and aroma.

One of the recipes for vegetarian lasagna includes simple ingredients that can be found in any store or market:

• onion
• pepper
• zucchini

Vegetable lasagna is cooked with olive oil, which during frying allows to keep useful elements in vegetables, and also gives the dish a delicious aroma.

Sheets of pasta can be made right at home. Moreover, it can be used not just wheat flour, but coarse grinding flour with adding spinach. Due to this, the dough will be a pale green color.

Non-standard recipe: Lasagna soup

Despite the simplicity of the lasagna recipe, its preparation is quite time-consuming. It is necessary to prepare minced meat, sheets, sauce, to find a suitable form. It is necessary to put together all ingredients in a beautiful way. So, for those who love simpler, but also delicious, there is lasagna soup!

Soup’s cooking is much simpler. Everything is cooked quickly, gradually and in one pan. Ingredients are no different from ordinary lasagna. And the taste, in principle, too. But, firstly, lasagna soup can be used both as a first course and a second dish. And secondly, it looks more creative, despite the simplicity of preparation.

Lasagna near you

A dish like a lasagna cannot be cooked in a couple of minutes. This is the minus of it, or maybe a plus. After all, those who love to cook can fully enjoy the process. But if you are not one of these people, but you really want to try tasty classic lasagna, then we are at your service.

In our restaurant Mercato Italiano, you can taste the delicious lasagna bolognese according to an old Italian recipe. This taste, without further ado, will explain to you why lasagna is so popular all over the world. Who knows, maybe it will become your favorite dish.