Lasagna is probably the oldest form of pasta in Italy. But what exactly is Lasagna? It is both a kind of wide flat sheet noodle pasta, as well as a traditional Italian dish made of lasagna pasta layered with different fillings that vary by region. In Italy, we also use the term “Lasagne”, which is the plural noon of lasagna.
But before digging into the details, let me tell you that making Lasagna pasta is less daunting than it seems. Once you master how to make Lasagna, you will be halfway to making any shape of pasta that inspires you. I love homemade pasta and there is no better occasion than Christmas to make pasta from scratch.
Where does Lasagna come from?
The earliest origins of Lasagna date back to the Roman times, and it can be found in the book of Marcus Gavius Apicius “De re Coquinaria”. But the word “lasagna” derives from the ancient Greek “lasana” which means “cooking pot”. Apparently, the Romans borrowed this word from the Greeks and later the dish took its name from the pot in which it was cooked.
There are some chronicles from the 13th century describing a friar who gorges on lasagna and cheese. The ancient recipe with meat is mentioned first in the Bolognese Memorials, which is a document dated back to 1282.
It was during the Renaissance that eggs were added to the lasagna sheets recipe, which was made before with just flour and water. The recipe has been perfected through the centuries to arrive at what we all know today as classic lasagna.
Lasagna recipe ingredients
I must confess that I am always amazed that just three basic ingredients, when combined, give life to such a mouthwatering meal. This is why I LOVE MAKING HOMEMADE PASTA FROM SCRATCH. To make homemade lasagna, you use the following:
– 00 Flour: This is a very fine flour that will give more elasticity to the dough.
– Eggs: The ratio is approximately 1 egg for every 1 cup of flour. The eggs should be at room temperature, which will allow them to disperse better in the flour when you make the dough. You will use both the yolk and the white.
– Salt: Please remember to add salt to the dough and of course to the cooking water.
How to make Lasagna
There are 4 steps to make lasagna. Let’s review them one by one.
STEP 1. Make the dough
STEP 2. Roll out the dough
STEP 3. Cut the dough into lasagna noodles
STEP 4. Cook the lasagna noodles
STEP 1. Make the dough
Sift the flour and form a volcano. Break the eggs into the crater and add the salt. Start by whisking the eggs with a fork and incorporate the flour as you whisk.
Knead the dough on a floured surface, until you have a final dough that is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough in a plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
STEP 2. Roll out the dough
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, divide it into 4 parts and cover them with a linen towel to prevent the dough from drying. With a well-floured rolling pin, start by rolling each piece from the center to the outer part on a floured countertop. When it reaches around 1/8 inch of thickness, you are then ready to cut the rolled out dough into rectangular pasta sheets that are lasagna.
Alternatively, you can use a pasta machine to ease the process of rolling out the dough. Even if you use a pasta machine, you will still need to start by flattening the dough with a rolling pin. For the instructions on how to roll the dough with a pasta machine, read my Straw and Hay Fettuccine recipe.
STEP 3. Cut the dough into lasagna noodles
Lasagna is cut by hand. For this recipe I used a pasta cutter bike. A pasta cutter bike is a tool in which the wheels are interchangeable and easy to remove and add back. You can create different shapes, with varying widths and fancy zig-zag edges. But you can also use a simple pasta cutter.
Place your pasta cutter bike at the top or at the bottom of the sheet. Proceed by cutting the sheet vertically, applying firm pressure. It is very important that you have a well-floured counter-top and rolling pin to avoid having the pasta stick to any of these surfaces. The size of the lasagna sheets will depend on the size of your baking pan. For this recipe, I cut my lasagna into 9.25 x 3.75 inch, which allow me to place 2 sheets on each layer of my 9.25 x 7.5 inch baking dish.
You can also cut the pasta sheet into a variety of other shapes, such as fettuccine, pappardelle, maltagliati and others. Lasagna really is the base of all Italian fresh egg pasta.
Once you have cut the sheet, you will need to separate all the pieces and place them on a pasta drying stand.
STEP 4. Cook the lasagna noodles
Cook the pasta sheets in small batches in salted boiling water for 8 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, drain them in a colander and rinse them gently under running cold water until they are cool. Alternatively, when you remove them from the colander you could place them in ice water, which will keep them al dente.
Gently place the sheets over a clean linen towel, to absorb the excess water.
At this point, you are ready to use your lasagna noodles to layer your lasagna with your favorite ingredients. Need some inspiration? Check out my next post.
Lasagna recipe variations and substitutions
If you would like to make green lasagna noodles, check out my post. This is great for Lasagna Bolognese or for a vegetable and cheese lasagna recipe.
If you are intolerant to gluten, you can use gluten-free flour, and for this same recipe, you will need to add 1 egg yolk, which will give additional elasticity to the dough, since the flour has no-gluten.
A note on serving suggestions and storing
It is better if you use lasagna (or any other kind of fresh pasta) right after you boil them. Alternatively, you can prepare the pasta sheets, let them dry and use them within 2 days.
Please let me know how you like making homemade Lasagna in the comments! I really would love to hear from you, and hope you will love making fresh homemade pasta as much as I do.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Pasta Drying Stand
- Pasta Cutter Bike
Instructions
STEP 1. Make the Dough
- Sift the flour, make a volcano on a work surface and add the eggs and salt. Start whisking and incorporating the flour as you whisk.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
- Cover it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
STEP 2. Roll out the dough
- Divide the dough in 4 parts and start rolling them from the center to the outer edges with the help of a rolling pin (see notes).
STEP 3. Cut the dough into lasagna noodles
- With a pasta cutter- bike, proceed by cutting the dough. Make a firm pressure and once your dough has been cut, divide each lasagna individually. Place them to dry on a pasta drying stand.
STEP 4. Cook the Lasagna
- Bring a pot to boil and when boiling add the rock salt. Cook the lasagna for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente.
- Remove them with a slotted spoon, drain them in a colander and rinse them gently under running cold water until they are cold (see notes).
- Place the lasagna over a clean linen towel, to absorb the excess of water. At this point, you are ready to use your lasagna noodles to layer your lasagna with your favorite ingredients.
Notes
- Use a wooden rolling pin, well-floured, it will prevent the dough to stick to it while you are rolling it out.
- This recipe yields 1 pound of pasta, ideal for 4 servings as a main course or for 6 serving as first serving.
- Alternatively, when you remove them with the colander you could place them in iced water, which will keep them al dente.
Nutrition
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*Source of Lasagna origins: Il Gambero Rosso, La Cucina Italiana.
