FOOD NEWS
Lasagnette Is The Italian Pasta That Combines Lasagna And Fettuccine
By Laura Zbinden
Although it's still relatively unknown in the U.S., lasagnette is an authentic Italian pasta that fuses lasagna and fettuccine.
When chef Giuliano Hazan ordered it for the first time in Verona, he told Forbes that he was expecting something similar to classic lasagna. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised.
The dish has fettuccine-like noodles with three sauces on the side. The "ette" suffix, Hazan explains, means little or small in Italian, so lasagnette means small lasagna noodles.
There seem to be many versions of lasagnette, ranging from long and thin noodles to wide pasta that looks more like halved lasagna noodles.
The Traverse City Record-Eagle says chefs in northwest Italy make lasagnette all'ajada — noodles boiled in almond milk, mixed with walnut pesto, and dusted with breadcrumbs.
Chef Hazan says lasagnette is best served "coi tre sughi," or with three different sauces (fresh tomato sauce, a meat sauce, and a sauce with peas) to vary each bite.
The Italian food magazine, Sale & Pepe, recommends lasagnette mixed with a rabbit ragu and topped with pecorino cheese.
No matter how you make the noodles or which sauce you choose, this lesser-known shape is a great way to explore a new side of authentic Italian cuisine.