Lasagna alla Bolognese

A classic of Emilian cuisine, Lasagne alla Bolognese has very ancient origins. Layers of fresh egg pasta, ragù and bechamel sauce, three ingredients for one of the most famous and loved dishes in Italy and abroad, but also much imitated. The history of Lasagne Bolognese dates back to Greco-Roman times. The Greek term 'laganon' and the Latin word 'laganum' indicated square or rectangular sheets, made from a mixture of wheat flour, cooked in the oven or on the fire and stuffed with meat.

Cheese appeared only in the 14th century, when the recipe was codified in a recipe book of the Angevin Court of Naples: the Liber de Coquina. Later, the use of layered lasagna spread and in 1881, tomatoes were introduced.

The fame of Lasagne alla Bolognese is due to some Bolognese restaurants that began to introduce them to their customers at the beginning of the last century. The success and paternity of Lasagna alla Bolognese with green pastry is finally sanctioned by Paolo Monelli with The Wandering Wolverine of 1935.

Every Bolognese family has their own recipe for lasagna, which may or may not be green and seasoned strictly with Bolognese sauce. Here is the real recipe for Lasagne alla Bolognese that the Italian Academy of Cuisine has filed with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce.

Ingredients (4 people) For the pastry:
350 g of flour 00
2 eggs

200 g of boiled spinach, squeezed well and chopped For the filling:
500 g of classic Bolognese ragù
200 g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano

350 of bechamel sauce 100 g of butter
nutmeg
salt and pepper