LASAGNA BOLOGNESE
Lasagna is undoubtedly one of the most popular culinary specialties of the Italian tradition, consumed, known and loved internationally.
Let’s talk a little about the history of this emblematic dish, and is that, most people do not know how it was born. We must go back to Roman times, three centuries before Christ. At this time the preference for pasta was remarkable and most reputable people ate it on a regular basis, even the Emperor of Rome, “Ciseron”, spoke of his great taste for a type of pasta known as Laganum, which were some species of strips of long pasta made from wheat flour.
At that time, the Romans began to invent kitchen utensils to help them prepare the pasta in a more practical way, from there began the idea of lasagna, however, it was not until the middle of the XVII century that served a dish similar to the current one.
Etymology: the Italian term lasagna, appeared in the XIII century, comes from Greek lasana, which means “kitchen tripod” and was used to designate the dish in which the lasagna were prepared.
The earliest records written on the birth of the lasagna were due to the Roman gourmet Apicius, cook of the Emperor Trajan, who in “De re libros Coquinaria” (Culinary Arts) describes a timbal enclosed within a “Lagana”, a term derived from the Greek laganoz, indicating a kind of flour mass, unleavened, cooked in water and meant “vase, container”. Of these, it was obviously derived lasagna, which has developed over the centuries, helping to create a highly distinctive millennial tradition.
Continuing with the centuries the lasagne in England in the year 1300 assumes the titles of loscyns or losyngys and in France in 1600 losans, as described in the treatises of VX century Provencal cuisine, while preserving the meaning of “the mass which is cut into strips “.
The lasagne then became a popular dish in effect around 1935, thanks to Paul Hedgehog who spoke in his book “The Wandering Wolverine.” This dish has become a strong symbolic value for more contemporary years, flat key of the Neapolitan carnival, to be consumed the Sunday before the beginning of Lent, has also become a typical Italian dish emblem of purity of home and the family.
Today, regional cuisines are diverse and each has developed its own type of lasagne, with variations of the basic recipe.
The Lasagna Bolognese is a typical dish of the gastronomy of Emilia Romagna, and of the city of Bologna, although it is clearly better known throughout the world as an icon of Italian cuisine. The sauce alla bolognesa is a condiment characteristic of this famous region, made with minced meat and tomato. This specialty has been interpreted in different ways but the most important is the choice of meat, as it affects the cooking time of the sauce and its distinctive flavor. In the Emilia Romagna, among the many versions, the official recipe of this sauce is presented on October 17, 1982 by a delegation from Bologna representing Italian cuisine in the Chamber of Commerce of this city. In this official recipe, it is recommended to use a cut of lean meat called cartella, instead of the fat part that is located in the belly of the Cattle.
We present you a delicious homemade recipe to prepare Lasagna alla bolognese
RECIPE LASAGNA BOLOGNESE
Number of servings: 6
INGREDIENTS
- 300 ml bechamel
- 12 slices of lasagna
- 1 kilo of minced meat (half pork half veal)
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 400 grams of crushed tomato
- 100 grams of fried tomato (about 5 or 6 tablespoons)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil (about 50 ml)
- 50 grams of grated cheese
- A piece of butter to spread on the container
- 2 liters of water
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and when hot add onion and chopped garlic. Let it poche all over and if you see that there are areas that start to roast too much add a trickle of water and mix well.
- When everything is well poached add the minced meat. Now we have to tap with the edge of a skimmer so that the meat separates well and do not forget to stir well so that it does not burn the meat that is in the bottom.
- When the meat is well cooked (about 20 or 30 minutes) add the ground tomato, the fried tomato, 1 small spoon of salt and a half spoon of pepper. Mix well and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes to concentrate tomato
- When you are at your point try the meat and if necessary add a little more salt and pepper.
- Then remove the frying pan from the heat and put in a pot 2 liters of water with 2 small tablespoons of salt.
- When boiling add the lasagna sheets and leave to medium heat until they are at their point (about 8 minutes).
- Then with the aid of a skimmer and a fork, put the lasagna sheets on a cloth napkin.
- Now grease the container in which we will make the lasagna.
- Then place a layer of pasta in the bottom and a layer of meat.
- Repeat twice to form three layers of pasta and meat. Finally, cover the lasagna with a layer of pasta and pour over the béchamel.
- Now distribute the grated cheese above and to the oven. Let to 180º Celsius and with the grill placed until the cheese is browned.
- When our lasagna of meat is ready we take it out with care of not to burn us and cut it in six parts. And that’s it, we can only serve.
RECIPE BECHAMEL
Serving size: 300 ml
INGREDIENTS.
- 500 ml whole milk
- 50 grams of butter
- 1 large spoonful of flour (about 25-30 grams)
- 1 small spoonful of fine salt
- 1/3 of a small spoonful of ground black pepper
- 1/3 of a small tablespoon nutmeg
INSTRUCTIONS.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan. Do not let it boil, and when it is hot, remove it from the fire.
- Put another pot to heat over medium heat. Add the butter and when it is melted add the flour.
- Remove the flour with a spoon and when you get some color add the hot milk that we have reserved.
- Mix constantly without forgetting to pass the rods well in the bottom so that the flour does not burn.
- When lifting the rods, a continuous thread is formed and our bechamel sauce is ready
- We only have to add salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix. We left one more minute to the fire and done.
Fuente
https://www.lular.es/que-es-la-lasana-y-cual-es-su-origen/
Fuente
https://cocinerositalianos.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/lasanas-a-la-bolonesa/