Lasagna

Lasagna, also known as lasagne, is a type of pasta, possibly one of the oldest types, made in very wide, flat sheets. The same-named Italian dish is made of stacked layers of lasagna alternating with fillings such as ragù, béchamel sauce, vegetables, cheeses, seasonings and spices.

This recipe, dating back to the 13th century, was made with layers of pasta, spinach, eggplant, artichokes, ricotta cheese and grated cheese. Meat was only introduced during the Renaissance, when lasagna began to spread outside Italy.

The name is believed to come from a Latin word for cooking pot, lasanum, though some etymologies trace it to the Greek flatbread called laganon, known in Italy since at least the time of Augustus Caesar (63 bce−14 ce).