The British and Italians argue about origin
Lasagna al Forno: Did the Italian classic come from Great Britain?
Perhaps if you skip the fish and chips and the whole English breakfast – it goes without saying that British cuisine has many culinary achievements in this country. However, in 2003, researchers were surprised with an invention that changed everything at first glance: lasagna, after all, should be the standard dish on every Italian menu, British.
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At King’s Richard II’s Chef’s 14th Century Farm of Curie, researchers discovered losines at a British Museum in London. Behind it were layers, including sheets of flour, spices and cheese. Although there were no tomatoes, they were not even in Europe at the time. They were first introduced from South and Central America in the 16th century. It was nothing more than the world’s first verifiable lasagne, which scientists at the time were delighted with. Alone: It did not take long for the answer to come from Italy.
Lasagna without meat
Shortly afterwards the Italian embassy in London quoted the BBC with a furious reaction: “Whatever this old food is, it’s not Lasagne as we do it.” Because “Liber de Coquina” is also in a cookbook. In the 14th century, but from Italy, a recipe similar to that of Richard II emerged: layered pasta sheets, alternately with cheese and spices. The homeland of pasta followed this: in the tradition of “de re coquinaria” (about the art of cooking), the authors have already stacked sheets of “loganam”, i.e. flour. Also these texts date back to the third or fourth century and are the oldest culinary collection in the world. Lasagne? Old hat. Incidentally, all of these recipes were made without meat.
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It can be assumed that the Romans brought Lasagne to their island from their homeland when they invaded England between 43 and 440. There it later entered the kitchens of the nobles – unlike the common people, who could buy the necessary spices.
Lasagna al Forno recipe
Lasagna has become a common food today, affordable for almost every income – and thanks to the elegant changes, almost every palate can enjoy it. Today the most common lasagne comes from Al Forno Bologna and is made relatively quickly. Tomato ragout (for four dimensions): Chop one onion, one carrot and celery stalk and fry in butter with 300 g minced meat (or as a vegetarian alternative), preferably 80 g of ponzetta (Italian pork) with 100 ml of red wine declasses. Then add 150 ml of broth and 300 g of diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add pepper and salt and finally stir in 150 ml of milk.
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For bechamel sauce: Melt 50 g butter, stir in 50 g flour over low heat and slowly add half a liter of milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pre-cook the lasagne sheets if needed (most people no longer need this). Alternately layer pasta sheets, ragout and bechamel sauce on the lasagna dish. Finally, sprinkle with mozzarella and grated Parmesan slices and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Also delicious: salmon and lettuce lasagne, in which salmon fillets and greens are simply layered instead of ragout.
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