Lasagnette Is The Italian Pasta That Fuses Lasagna And Fettuccine
Ever dreamed of mixing together two of your favorite pasta dishes but worried that you would wind up insulting all of Italian cuisine with your recipe's inauthenticity? Well, now is your chance to let loose and get creative, because lasagnette is an authentic type of Italian pasta that is basically a mix of lasagna and fettuccine. Think of the creamy, cheesy, saucy possibilities.
According to chef Giuliano Hazan in an interview with Forbes, lasagnette is still relatively unknown stateside, and when he ordered it for the first time in Verona, he was expecting something similar to a classic lasagna. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find fettuccine-like noodles served with three sauces on the side. In the interview, he explains that it is the "ette" in the word lasagnette that makes all the difference. In Italian, the "ette" suffix means small or little. Therefore, lasagnette noodles are the smaller version of lasagna noodles.
The varieties of lasagnette
There seem to be many versions of lasagnette ranging from a long and thin pasta, like fettuccine, to a wider pasta that looks more like halved lasagna noodles. According to Giuliano Hazan, the noodles are long and thin. His version is also similar to the boxed lasagnette noodles sold by De Cecco, which the company claims are part of a Ligurian heritage that makes them ideal for pesto. On the other hand, Italian specialty retailer Eataly sells bags of small, square-ish pasta sheets that look more like individual-sized, curly-edged lasagna noodles.
So, which version is most authentic? It's hard to say, but if you are cooking a Verona-themed dinner for your Romeo or Juliet, it might be best to stick to the long and thin version as it seems to be the most authentic shape for that region. According to the Traverse City Record-Eagle, chefs in northwest Italy whip up lasagnette all'ajada, in which the egg noodles are boiled in almond milk, mixed with garlicky walnut pesto, and sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs. If you want to impress your date even further, you can listen to Hazan and serve it with three distinct sauces.
Sauce on the side?
According to chef Giuliano Hazan, lasagnette is best served "coi tre sughi," or with three different sauces on the side. He explains that the three sauces should include a fresh tomato sauce, a meat sauce, and a sauce with peas. Then, while eating, you can decide to add different sauces to your pasta as you see fit.
While that might be how they do it in Verona, if you move a little south to the region of Umbria, you'll find that the sauce is added directly to the pasta before serving. Sale & Pepe, a beloved Italian food magazine, recommends serving lasagnette noodles mixed with a rabbit ragu and topped with pecorino cheese. Meanwhile, in a YouTube video for Breville, Massachusetts chef Tony Maws features a miniature lasagnette that is layered and filled like its namesake (though in this case with a filling of nutmeg-spiced pork belly and swiss chard).
No matter how you make them, or which sauce you choose, this lesser-known noodle shape is a great way to explore a new side of authentic Italian cuisine. It's pasta that refuses to be pigeonholed.