National Lasagna Day (July 29th)

If you grew up with Garfield, you grew up with a strong appreciation for the glories of an excellent lasagna. There’s even a term ‘Garfield Mondays,’ which primarily involves a lot of eating lasagna and camping out in bed in utter slovenliness. Don’t tell us that it isn’t a great thing. National Lasagna Day reminds us of the wonder and glory of the excellent dish that is lasagna, and that we should imbibe it regularly.

Learn about National Lasagna Day

National Lasagna Day pays tribute to the Italian pasta dish that is considered a staple in homes all around the world. There is no denying that this is one of the world’s favorite mealtime treats. And, something this famous certainly deserves a day of its own, right? On National Lasagna Day, we celebrate the creation that first showed up during the Middle Ages in Italy, and then made its way across the world after this, arriving in America in the 19th century.

Some fun and interesting facts about lasagna

• A song called ‘Lasagna’ was recorded Alfred Matthew “Weird Al” Yankovic – a musical comedian. It is a parody of the famous La Bamba song.
• The earliest known recipe for a lasagna dates back to the 13th century. Interestingly, though, tomatoes were not known to Europeans at the time, which means they cannot of been included in the recipe.
• You will find the most expensive lasagna in the world at the Mirage in Las Vegas. This will set you back $100 a slice, but it is topped with 23-karat gold flakes, with White Diamond truffles shaved tableside! The lasagna itself is made with Jobe Bolognese, buffalo mozzarella, 24-month-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, porcini mushrooms, Iberico ham, and of course, layers of pasta. The sauce used is an Alfredo sauce, which is infused with foie gras, and tops the dish.
• The biggest lasagna in the world was created in Poland by Magillo Restaurant and Macro Supermarket. It weighed 4,865kg.

History of National Lasagna Day

So here’s your first fun fact for National Lasagna Day, Lasagna refers to the wide, flat, long noodles that are commonly used to make a dish of lasagna. However, the term for multiple lasagna noodles is lasagne, so perhaps the dish should actually be called lasagne!

Whatever the spelling, this delicious dish was first created in Italy, with the credit usually being given to the city of Naples, otherwise known as Campania. It was there that the book Liber de Coquina was found, and within it the recipe for Lasagna from the Middle Ages.

Interestingly there are actually two types of lasagna noodles, though only one is available for commercial sale due to regulations. However, it wasn’t uncommon in Northern Italy to produce lasagna noodles from flour and eggs, rather than the more common (and commercially salable) durum wheat noodles.

We know that the History of the lasagna goes back further than this, however. There was a dish in Ancient Rome that was very similar called a lasanum, though it may go back even further into Ancient Greece.

How to celebrate National Lasagna Day

Celebrating National Lasagna Day is both easy and delicious, consume mass quantities of lasagna! There are hundreds of varieties of lasagna available in the frozen food section of your local grocery store, with variants from chicken lasagna to vegetarian lasagna. If you’re feeling truly adventurous, or come from a family with a long tradition of home-made lasagna, it may just be time to make that recipe you’ve been avoiding for so many years.

Lasagna is a delicious and traditional dish, and is easy to make in large quantities. The blend of ricotta, mozzarella, parmigiana-reggiano, and béchamel really brings a complex but enjoyable blend of textures and flavors of cheeses to the menu. So on National Lasagna Day, remember to not settle for anything less for dinner!

If lasagna is something that you already cook a lot in your household, why not look for some different variations on this Italian dish? There are plenty of lasagna Recipes online that offer a twist on this classic dish.

For example, why not make a vegetable lasagna? Another option is to add flavors of another country to this classic Italian dish. For instance, you could do a Greek-inspired lasagna. Instead of the classic bechamel sauce, create a blend of feta cheese, ricotta, and parmesan.

You can also swap out the beef mince for lamb mince instead, and make sure you season it well with some oregano for that traditional Greek flavor. This is just one example of many. If you do a bit of digging online, you will come across a wealth of different twists on the classic lasagna, allowing you to try something different on National Lasagna Day.

Of course, if you do not fancy doing any cooking yourself, another way to celebrate National Lasagna Day is to head to your local Italian restaurant. You never know, they may even be doing some specials on the menu in ode of this day! However, nothing beats the classic lasagna, cooked the Italian way.

Get some friends or family members together and enjoy a family feast. Or, why not treat yourself? Sometimes we all need a bit of ‘me’ time, and enjoying a glass of red wine and a delicious plate of lasagna is certainly a great way to indulge!