How to cook Lasagna? Classic Italian recipe

ByPaola.Salemi

Since lasagna is one of the most famous Italian dishes, it has undergone many recipe changes and additions over time. The history of the classic lasagna recipe: Sources state that lasagna first appeared in the Emilia-Romagna region, and the book “The Silver Spoon” by Phaidon Press contains many recipes for this traditional Italian dish, which…

Since lasagna is one of the most famous Italian dishes, it has undergone many recipe changes and additions over time.

The history of the classic lasagna recipe:

Sources state that lasagna first appeared in the Emilia-Romagna region, and the book “The Silver Spoon” by Phaidon Press contains many recipes for this traditional Italian dish, which is served on special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, or celebrations.

We will only describe the oldest recipe:

The book “Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well” by Pellegrino Artusi contains a lasagna recipe that dates back to 1891. This recipe describes the use of meat, cheese, tomatoes, and pasta sheets, which reflects the traditional composition of lasagna filling:

Ingredients:

  • 400g lasagna sheets
  • 100g finely chopped beef or veal
  • 100g finely chopped pork
  • 50g finely chopped onion
  • 50g finely chopped carrot
  • 50g finely chopped celery
  • 100g tomato sauce
  • 100g grated parmesan cheese
  • 50g butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Cut the meat, onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces.
  2. Heat the butter in a skillet and sauté the meat and vegetables until golden brown.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, stir, and let all the ingredients simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. If the filling is too dry, add a little water.
  4. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna sheets and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until soft. Remove the sheets from the water and place them on a plate.
  5. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  6. Take a large baking dish and spread a small amount of filling on the bottom. Layer the lasagna sheets on top, followed by another layer of filling and sprinkle generously with grated parmesan cheese. Repeat these layers until the sheets and filling are used up.
  7. The final layer should consist of lasagna sheets and a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top.
  8. Put the lasagna in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
  9. Let the lasagna cool a bit before serving.

Italy is always about tradition, and therefore, we are confident that this classic recipe will help you touch the real Italy.