If we talk briefly about the kitchen of this country, then it is all woven from the sun. Italian cuisine originated in the times of ancient Rome and it is more than two thousand years old. This means that the Italians, like the French, have achieved absolute perfection in cooking.
The history of the dish
Time of occurrence of lasagna, unfortunately, is unknown. Of course, the birthplace of lasagna is Italy, but the dish has Greek roots, and in a similar sound means "hot plates". And in fact, a dish consisting of a filling and hot plates of unleavened dough is called lasagne.
Whatever the name, they started cooking it in Emily-Romagna. Initially, the dish consisted of a certain number of plates, layered with meat stew, sprinkled with cheese and baked in a special pan. A little later, they began to add sauce to the dish. And only then did the chefs dare to introduce different fillings, which, incidentally, is still ongoing.
The first documented mention dates back to the 14th century in an anonymous manuscript and is found near Naples. The manuscript was called the "Culinary Book" (Liber de coquina). In the Middle Ages, according to this book, lasagne was prepared according to the following recipe: dough plates were boiled, layered with cheese and a mixture of ground peppers.
Most likely, the number of spices included salt, sugar and pepper. But according to historians, the Italians may have used saffron, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, since by that time they were already familiar with these ingredients.
Despite the fact that lasagna is considered to be a true Italian dish, Scandinavians and the British are trying to defend their pedigree rights. The latter argue that such a meal existed in the 14th century during the reign of Richard II and was called loseyns (sounds like lasagna). In addition, the British claim that the documented recipe is stored in the very first English cookbook Forme of cury.
As for the Italians, they are very jealous of all statements to their national cuisine. Therefore, the representatives of Italy in London spoke as follows: regardless of the name of the ancient British dish, this is not the kind of lasagna that is prepared in Italy.
Classic Lasagna: homemade recipe
An Italian dish that can win love with one flavor can be cooked on your own.
Recipe Components:
- olive oil - 4 tbsp. l .;
- medium bulb;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- medium sized carrots;
- celery - 3 stalks;
- ham - 150 gr .;
- minced meat - 300 gr .;
- dry red wine - 1 glass;
- tomatoes-400 gr. (it is better to take canned);
- Lasagna sheets - 250 gr .;
- cheese (grated) - 50 g .;
- ground black pepper.
Ingredients for bechamel sauce:
- butter - 100 g .;
- nutmeg - pinch;
- flour - 2 tbsp. l .;
- bay leaf - 1 pc .;
- milk - 2 t .;
- salt.
Italian cooking time: 2 hours.
Calories: 163. 49 kcal per 100 grams. lasagna
Phased cooking:
- For meat sauce, heat the butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan and fry the onion and garlic over low heat. Celery with carrots chop julienne, add to vegetables and simmer no more than 7 minutes. Next, cut the ham (also straws) and add to the pan along with the minced meat.
As soon as the mass acquires a light brown tint, pour in the wine and prolong the extinguishing process for another 10 minutes. Add peeled tomatoes with juice. Simmer another 40 minutes;
- To make bechamel sauce, melt butter in a pan and fry the flour in it until it is nutty. In a separate bowl, boil the milk, add the nutmeg and add the bay leaf. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thin stream pour the milk into the pan with flour, not forgetting the constant stirring. As soon as the boiling process begins, the sauce will be ready, all that remains is to salt and turn off the heat;
- Take a baking dish and spread some meat sauce to the bottom. Spread the lasagne sheets over and over the meat layer. Pour milk sauce on top, sprinkle with cheese, cover with lasagna sheets. Alternate layers to continue until the end of the meat sauce;
- The last layer should be lasagne sheets with bechamel sauce, sprinkled with cheese;
- Bake the dish at 180 ° C for approximately 40 minutes. At the end should form a crispy crust.
As soon as the mass acquires a light brown tint, pour in the wine and prolong the extinguishing process for another 10 minutes. Add peeled tomatoes with juice. Simmer another 40 minutes;
Lasagna with minced pita bread: recipe
When there are no lasagna sheets at hand, and pita bread is not time to help.
Recipe Components:
- pita with a diameter of 28 cm - 5 pcs .;
- onions - 2 pcs .;
- minced meat - 0.5 kg;
- tomatoes - 700 gr. (you can replace tomato puree - 500 gr.);
- flour - 40 g .;
- oil - 40 g .;
- milk - 2 cups;
- cheese - 150 g;
- nutmeg, ground black pepper, salt - to taste.
Cooking time: 1 hour.
Caloric content: 164.3 kcal.
Step-by-step process:
- Finely chopped onion fry until golden brown. Add mince, salt and pepper. On medium heat bring the meat ingredient to readiness;
- Put the sliced tomatoes into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until soft;
- Knead with a fork, grind through a sieve;
- Add mashed potatoes to meat and simmer until the moisture evaporates. The process will take no more than 10 minutes;
- Bechamel sauce: melt butter in a skillet, add flour and fry slightly;
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually pour in the milk, stir the mixture, avoiding the formation of the smallest lumps. Put the mixture on the fire and cook until boiling. As the sauce begins to thicken, add grated cheese, a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Stir until the cheese is completely melted;
- Lasagna assembly: lay the bottom of the baking dish with pita bread and brush with two spoons of sauce;
- Distribute the meat stuffing;
- Alternate items 7 and 8;
- The last layer should be pita greased with sauce and sprinkled with cheese;
- Dish sent to bake in the oven, preheated to 180C. Heat treatment time - half an hour.
In this recipe, you can use 2 tablespoons of seasoning "Italian herb".
Lasagna with fish and spinach in a slow cooker: a simple recipe for cooking
Italian dish can be prepared using modern technology. The main thing is to choose the right heat treatment modes.
Required components:
- lasagna sheets - 12 pcs. (packing weighing 250 gr.);
- spinach - 200 gr .;
- Dill - 2 tbsp. l .;
- garlic - 2 teeth;
- butter - 60 gr. (divided by 30 gr.);
- trout - 600 gr .;
- flour - 3 tbsp. l .;
- Mozzarella - 250 gr .;
- cherry tomatoes - 250 g .;
- milk - 0.5 l;
- salt pepper.
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
Caloric content: 141.25 kcal.
Step-by-step process:
- Chop the spinach leaves and garlic. Set the "fire" mode on the kitchen appliance and melt 30 gr. oils. Add crushed ingredients, salt and simmer for 3 minutes. Spinach put on a separate saucer;
- Wash the bowl of the kitchen unit and pour two liters of water. Set the "steaming" mode (1 hour timer) and bring the liquid to a boil. Salt For 5 minutes, immerse 4 sheets of lasagna in boiling water and place on a towel;
- Cut the fish into small thin pieces, sprinkle with pepper and put in the refrigerator;
- Grate the mozzarella, cut the cherry into a quarter;
- Set the "quenching" mode to melt the butter and fry the flour. Gradually pour in milk and 500 ml of water. Stirring with a whisk to give the sauce acquire a uniform consistency, salt and pour the dried dill;
- Pour over the sauce, rinse the bowl and grease with cooking oil;
- Sequence of layers: 2 lasagna leaves, milk sauce, pieces of trout, cherry, spinach, grated mozzarella. Repeat until the end of the ingredients;
- Set the mode "baking" (50 minutes timer).
Cut the finished dish in 10 minutes. During this time, the crust will harden.
Vegetable lasagna for vegetarians with eggplants
The world famous dish can be different, including vegetarian. For cooking, it is important to find sheets of lasagna made only from water and flour, without adding eggs.
Required Products:
- lasagna sheets - 300 gr .;
- zucchini - 150 gr .;
- vegetable oil - 40 ml;
- Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs .;
- eggplant;
- bulb;
- carrot;
- potatoes;
- garlic - 2 teeth;
- salt pepper;
- sprinkling nuts.
Cooking time: 45 minutes.
Caloric content: 128.32 kcal.
Step-by-step process:
- Chop the garlic, chop the onion into thin strips, grate the carrots;
- Tomatoes pass through a blender;
- The rest of the vegetables cut into circles;
- Fry the onion, pepper and garlic in a pan. Add tomatoes and stew ingredients 10 minutes;
- Add salt, pepper;
- Harvesting lasagna: lay sheets of dough into a baking dish, smear with tomato sauce and lay out vegetables;
- The last layer is simply smeared with sauce and send the dish to the oven for half an hour.
- Bake at 200 ° C;
- Sprinkle the prepared lasagna with chopped nuts.
Unusual dessert lasagna with pear and cheese
If we talk briefly about this delicacy, then from the minimum number of ingredients you can easily create a great result.
Recipe Components:
- pears - 700 gr. (separately put 1 fruit);
- ground cinnamon - 0.5 tsp;
- cheese - 300 g;
- dough sheets - 250 gr .;
- Almond petals - 2 tbsp. l .;
- sugar - 50 gr.
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
Caloric content: 202.91 kcal.
Step-by-step process:
- Fruits cut into cubes, put into a pan, cover with sugar and cinnamon, add a little water (wine, pear or apple juice) and simmer the ingredients until soft;
- Cheese grate;
- Harvesting lasagna: lay out dough plates, lay out 1/3 of the pears on top, sprinkle with a little syrup, sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers;
- Be sure to water each layer with syrup so that the dessert does not turn out to be dry;
- Cover the form with foil and bake at a temperature of 180 C for half an hour, remove the foil with the remains of pear, cheese and almond petals. Bake another 25 minutes.
You can decorate the finished delicacy with whipped cream or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and pear slices.
How and what to serve the dish
Serve traditional Italian lasagna only hot. Often it is sprinkled on top of chopped greens. Sometimes served with green salads.
The dish itself is full, so for a better digestion it serves dry white wine.
For the children's table, lasagna is served with a light vegetable salad or olives strung on skewers.
Another good option is to serve on a separate plate of parsley and arugula leaves.
People who do not consume alcoholic beverages, it is desirable to serve a bottle of Borjomi. Since lasagna is quite a heavy dish.
Culinary Lasagna Cooking Tips: Top 10 Secrets
Secret 1: the right dough. If you cook yourself, then you need two types of flour: the highest and the second. After kneading, be sure to give the dough to rest for 30 minutes under the cling film. Only then roll out on layers 2 mm thick.
Secret 2: the right choice of dishes. The process of baking on average lasts 40 minutes, so it is advisable not to use thin-walled dishes. Ideal choice: ceramics, and also heat resisting glass. To save time, the form must be taken square. So all the sheets bake at the same time.
Secret 3: read the instructions carefully. The tip concerns lasagna shopping plates. Some manufacturers recommend soaking them in water, others boil like regular pasta. The ratio of liquid and dough for the second method should be as follows: for every 100 grams of the plate, a liter of water is taken. A small amount of olive oil will not allow them to stick to each other. And remember, the dough of real Italian lasagna is slightly undercooked.
Secret 4: the correct distribution of layers. To prevent the dish from falling apart during the cutting process, cooks recommend placing the filling with a cross. That is one layer across, following along.
Secret 5: it's all about cheese. The selection of cheese is based on the recipe. Classic for lasagna - a mixture of mozzarella and parmesan. Some recipes indicate the addition of this ingredient in each layer, others only for sprinkling the top.
Secret 6: lubricate the form. Carefully fluff the walls of the mold so that the dish does not stick and fall apart during the heat treatment process.
Secret 7: a variety of sauces. In almost every recipe, bechamel sauce is listed. But it is possible to replace tomato, because in the world there is at least one person who does not love milk.
Secret 8: stuffing. As a layer, they use not just minced meat, but meat stew with the addition of vegetables.
Secret 10: seafood. For cooking are taken in equal quantities mussels, shrimp and squid. The ingredients are stewed for about 10 minutes in a small amount of water and tomato puree.
The secrets of traditional Italian lasagna are revealed. It remains only to cook it at home and enjoy the taste of the dish.
A detailed video recipe for making lasagna is in the next story.
