Shape: Lasagne. The Layered Legacy of Italy

Introduction: More Than Just Sheets of Pasta

When we think of pasta today, our minds often leap to steaming trays of lasagne — layers of tender pasta, rich sauces, creamy cheese, and savory fillings. But lasagne is far more than a comfort food; it is a dish steeped in history, evolving over millennia from ancient Roman kitchens to modern Italian tables. Every layer tells a story, connecting us to a rich culinary lineage that spans empires, trade routes, and centuries of creativity.

The Romans and Laganum: Lasagne’s Ancient Ancestor

Long before tomatoes, béchamel, or mozzarella adorned Italian tables, the Romans enjoyed a dish called laganum. These were wide, thin sheets of dough, either baked or fried rather than boiled in water. Laganum was versatile: it could be layered with meats, vegetables, or pulses, seasoned with herbs, or simply enjoyed on its own.

The poet Horace (65–8 BC) mentioned savoring laganum with chickpeas in one of his satires, revealing that it was not only elite fare but also part of the everyday diet for ordinary Romans. Similarly, Apicius, the Roman gourmet whose cookbook survives in fragments to this day, included recipes for layering dough with sauces, meats, and vegetables. Essentially, these early preparations were the forebears of the lasagne we know today — a dish whose very structure celebrates layers, textures, and flavors in harmony.

Fun fact: Unlike modern lasagne, Roman laganum contained no tomatoes, which only arrived in Europe after Columbus. Instead, flavors came from pulses, meats, herbs, and the ubiquitous fermented fish sauce garum. Imagine a lasagna layered with chickpeas and fish sauce — definitely a taste adventure for the brave!

The Evolution of Lasagne Through History

Medieval and Renaissance Italy

As the Roman Empire waned and Italy’s regional cuisines developed, laganum evolved. By the medieval period, cookbooks reference “lasanis” — sheets of dough layered with cheeses, herbs, and occasionally meat. In Naples, Emilia-Romagna, and other regions, cooks experimented with thickness, shapes, and fillings, adapting recipes to local ingredients and tastes.

During the Renaissance, lasagne began to resemble its modern form more closely. Cheeses like ricotta and parmesan became common, and dishes layered with meat ragù and béchamel started appearing in Italian kitchens. The dish was a symbol of hospitality, often served at celebrations and family gatherings. Lasagne’s layered structure made it practical for feeding large groups — every slice delivered a mix of dough, sauce, and filling, ensuring everyone received a taste of everything.

Regional Variations Across Italy

Italy’s regions each put their own stamp on lasagne:

• Emilia-Romagna: Perhaps the most famous, here lasagne is made with fresh green pasta sheets colored with spinach, layered with rich Bolognese ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• Naples: Southern versions often use thicker, slightly chewier sheets, and incorporate ricotta, mozzarella, and a richer tomato sauce.
• Sicily: Lasagne alla Siciliana often includes eggplant, ricotta, peas, and sometimes sausage, showing the island’s Arabic and Mediterranean influences.
• Rome: Roman variations are simpler but elegant, often including creamy cheese sauces and finely chopped vegetables.

Each variation tells a story of local produce, culinary influences, and the creativity of home cooks who passed recipes down through generations.

Lasagne in Italian Life and Ritual

Lasagne is more than a dish — it is ritual, celebration, and family bonding rolled into layers. It often appears at Sunday lunches, festive holidays, and weddings, where its preparation is an act of love. The assembly of layers — sauce, cheese, pasta, and fillings — becomes a shared activity, drawing families into the kitchen together.

In Emilia-Romagna, making lasagne is a craft. Fresh pasta sheets are rolled and cut by hand, ragù simmers for hours, and béchamel is whisked to perfection. Every step reflects patience, technique, and reverence for ingredients. Eating lasagne is thus not just a culinary experience, but a sensory connection to Italian tradition, craftsmanship, and history.

Legends, Myths, and Pop Culture

Lasagne has also earned its place in myths and popular culture. One playful legend claims that the term “lasagna” derives from the Greek lasanon, meaning “cooking pot,” referring to the deep pans used to layer and bake the dish. This linguistic journey mirrors lasagne’s culinary evolution — from Roman kitchens to Greek-influenced southern Italy, to households across the country.

Lasagne has appeared in films, literature, and even cartoons as the ultimate comfort food. In pop culture, it is often depicted as an indulgent, almost decadent dish — think Garfield’s obsession with lasagne in comic strips and cartoons. Its multi-layered form has become a metaphor for richness, patience, and reward — the longer the preparation, the more satisfying the bite.

Even in literature, lasagne has been celebrated as a symbol of family, generosity, and Italian identity. Its appearance at communal meals reinforces ideas of sharing, hospitality, and cultural pride, making each tray more than food — it is a piece of living history.

Fun Facts About Lasagne

• Name Origins: “Lasagna” comes from the Greek lasanon (“cooking pot”) and Latin lasanum, reflecting both the dish and the vessel it is cooked in.
• Roman Roots: Roman laganum was often layered with pulses, meats, and herbs — a far cry from today’s tomato-based versions.
• Regional Pride: Emilia-Romagna is considered the birthplace of modern lasagne, especially the green spinach sheets layered with Bolognese ragù and béchamel.
• World Records: The longest lasagne ever made measured over 1.5 kilometers in length in Italy in 2012!
• Cheese Choices: Modern lasagne recipes vary widely in cheese: mozzarella, ricotta, provolone, and Parmigiano-Reggiano all make frequent appearances.
• Baked to Perfection: Traditional lasagne requires multiple hours of baking for flavors to meld, but modern variations often speed the process while keeping the layered structure intact.
• Global Love: Lasagne has crossed oceans and borders, appearing in countless international adaptations — from vegan lasagne to seafood versions in coastal regions.
• Cultural Metaphor: With its layered structure, lasagne has become a metaphor for complexity, patience, and the rewards of careful construction.
• Cartoon Fame: Garfield, the lasagne-loving cat, helped cement the dish as a symbol of indulgence and comfort food worldwide.
• Holiday Staple: In many Italian households, lasagne is a Christmas or Sunday meal tradition, emphasizing family, warmth, and shared culinary heritage.