A Brief History of Lasagna

It seems like everyone has a favorite recipe for lasagna, but have you ever wondered about the origins of this ubiquitous comfort food? Like the earliest iteration of pizza, and many other great feats of mankind, the history of lasagna has been traced all the way back to the ancient Greeks.

When the Romans overthrew Greece and occupied the country around 146 BC, they set about adopting local knowledge, culture, language and food as their own. The Greek word laganon, used to describe flat dough sliced into strips, is believed to be the origin of the word lasagna. While the Greeks didn't invent the hearty pasta dish we know and love, they at least inspired one of the world's oldest pastas.

Modern day lasagna, the richly layered dish swimming in sumptuous tomato sauce, made its debut in Naples, Italy, during the Middle Ages. Laboriously crafted and fit for a crowd, lasagna was savored on special occassions. While traditional Italian lasagna features ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano-Reggiano hugged between layers of pasta, Italian immigrants brought their favorite variations to America beginning in the late 1800s. While some prefer a meatier sauce made with pork or ground beef, others added roasted vegetables and spinach to the layers.

Our spin on the classic is layer upon layer of pasta, roasted red peppers, spinach, onions, pesto, ricotta, provolone and mozzarella in a savory tomato sauce. We serve it up with a freshly baked Macrina Bakery breadstick, just soft enough to soak up any extra sauce. Get a taste of our Lasagna with $2 off this month when you mention February’s Frequent Pie-er deal.