Good morning, welcome to our Food Holidays: July 29th, 2021. Take a look at the Holidays being celebrated today and let me know which one you most would like to celebrate and why.
If Suzzane or my sister was visiting then I would say National Lasagna Day is the one I most want to celebrate but neither of them are here and Charlie and David don’t much care for Lasagna which is sad because I love it. How about you?
National Lasagna Day is a Holiday commemorated annually on July 29th to celebrate an Italian dish. A dish that is not only popular in the United States but has enormous popularity throughout the entire world, despite the fact that there is debate among culinary Historians over when Lasagna was actually created.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with this Italian dish, Lasagna is made by stacking layers of flat Pasta in an alternating pattern with various toppings that can include Ground Meats, Tomato Sauce, Cheeses, Veggies, and a number of Seasonings. This dish is assembled and then baked in an oven. After it’s done baking, it’s cut into squares and served.
The History Of Lasagna
According to Historians, a Medieval dish called Loseyns that was popular in England was the first lasagna ever made. Loseyns is a dish that was made by taking thin dried sheets of Flour-based Pasta and then cooking it in a Broth to soften it.
These Noodles are then layered in an alternating pattern with Ruayn Cheese, Spices, and Butter. The one thing that this dish didn’t have, however, is any type of Tomato Sauce. That’s because Tomatoes to make Tomato Sauce wasn’t available in England at this time.
Tomatoes wouldn’t arrive in Europe until Christopher Columbus brought them from the New World during the late 15th century. Since this dish didn’t contain Tomatoes, some people don’t believe that it couldn’t be the first Lasagna. These critics instead point to dishes that were first made in Naples as the first Lasagna dishes. Nowadays, Lasagne di Carnival is considered to be the traditional lasagne of Naples. Unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to locate the origins of National Lasagna Day.
Fun Facts About Lasagna .
Lasagna or Lasagne?
Lasagne means more than one sheet of Pasta, so technically it’s the plural of Lasagna. However, in many languages, including English, the word Lasagna is used to describe a whole fully-baked version of this Pasta dish.
England Versus Naples?
As we said in the History section of this Holiday, there’s controversy as to where Lasagna was invented. Some people believe Lasagna was descended from an English dish known as Loseyns, while other people attribute it to a 14th century Naples dish that was placed in the cookbook Liber de Coquina. It’s believed that Lasagne di Carnevale descended from the 14th-century dish in that cookbook.
The Largest Lasagna Weighed over 10,000-Pounds
Ever wonder who holds the record for the largest Lasagna in the world? Well, if you have, then you need not wonder any longer. The largest Lasagna in the world was created by Magillo Restaurant and Macro Supermarket in Wieliczka, Poland. This Lasagna was made on June 20, 2012, and weighed over 10,725-pounds and 7-ounces.
The Most Expensive Lasagna Costs $100 A Slice
Now that we know what the largest Lasagna in the world was, now let’s talk about the most expensive Lasagnas in the world. This Lasagna is sold in the Portofino Restaurant at the Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada. This Lasagna is known as the Diamond & Gold Lasagna. Why does it cost so much? This Lasagna has layers of Pasta that are stuffed with Porcini Mushrooms, Iberico hand, and Prosciutto di Parma. It’s also covered with an Alfredo Sauce infused with Foie Gras. Served on top are White Diamond Truffles that have been shaved and 23-carat Gold flakes.
Customs, Traditions & Celebrations For National Lasagna Day
Anyone yearning to celebrate National Lasagna Day only has to enjoy this dish in one of its many forms. This can mean buying a Frozen Lasagna from your local grocery store freezer section, or it can mean making your own Lasagna. Since we’re purists, we highly recommend that everyone try their hand at making Lasagna.
There are dozens of different Lasagna recipes out there, so it’s just a matter of choosing the one that you like the best. Perhaps you want to try out a traditional Venezuelan-style Lasagna known as Pasticho, or maybe you’re looking for something more traditional like a Sausage Lasagna. No matter which version , be sure to use the hashtag #NationalLasagnaDay on your Social Media accounts as you enjoy eating Lasagna.
Four Facts about Lasagna:
- Lasagna is made with either flat Noodles or rippled Noodles. Rippled Noodles are common in Southern Italy but rarely used in Northern Italy. Rippled noodles are also popular in the United States.
- The word Lasagna originally referred to the pot in which the dish was cooked rather than the food itself as it does today. In fact, it is believed by some that the word is derived from the Greek word for “chamber pot” (lasanon).
- The plural of Lasagna is lasagne and in Italy, the plural form, lasagne, is always used when referring to Lasagna.
- The Forme of Cury, a 14th century cookbook that was the first to be published in England, featured Lasagna.
- Lasagna is often called “losyns” in Middle English.
Recipe for Sausage & Beef Lasagna (Meat Lasagna)
1 pound Mild Breakfast Sausage 4 Cloves Garlic 18 ounces Tomato Paste 28 ounces Tomato Sauce 14 ounces crushed Tomatoes 1 package Onion Soup Mix 3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper 1 1/2 tbsp dried Oregano 2 1/2 tbsp Dried Parsley divided 1 1/2 tbsp Dried Basil 1 tbsp Sugar 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme divided 32 ounces Ricotta Cheese 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese divided 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fresh shaved Parmesan Cheese 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add Beef, Sausage and Garlic. Saute until Meat is cooked. Drain and discard fat.
- Turn heat to low and stir in Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce, Onion Soup Mix, Pepper, Oregano, 1 tbsp Parsley, Basil, Sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles according to package directions, and set aside. If you’re using Oven Ready Noodles, skip this step.
- In a small bowl, stir together Ricotta Cheese, 2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese, 1 tbsp Parsley, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, Salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground Thyme.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To assemble, use a 9×13 Casserole Dish. Cover bottom of dish with a thin layer of Meat Sauce (about 1 cup). Place 4 Lasagna Noodles over Sauce (you may need to break the Noodles for this). Cover Noodles with 1/3 of the Cheese mixture and then 1/3 of the Meat mixture. Repeat process of Noodles, Cheese and Meat two more times. Top final layer with remaining cup of Mozzarella Cheese and 2 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese. Cover with Aluminum Foil and bake for 60 minutes. Remove foil after 30-40 minutes if you want Cheese to brown.
National Chicken Wing Day
Gobs of Ranch Dressing? Check. Loads of Blue Cheese? Check. Napkins? Check. An insatiable hunger for the ultimate party food, with a willingness to eat far beyond your comfort level? Well then, you’re ready to take on National Chicken Wing Day on July 29. Oh, and don’t forget the bottle of Antacids.
Originally relegated to the far corners of the kitchen as material for Chicken Stock, Chicken Wings were born when the owners of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo cooked up a midnight snack for their son and his friends. Using only Fried Wings, Butter, and Hot Sauce, they stumbled on a dish that would change American game day Gastronomy forever. July 29, make the Chicken Wings Sweet, Spicy or any way you want, but raise a glass and down a few Wings to celebrate.
I would like to ask you to thank previous Buffalo Mayor, Stan Makowski, for giving us one of the most celebrated Food Holidays of the Summer.
Chicken Wings
- 3 pounds of Chicken Wings
- 3 tbsp of Canola Oil
- A package of zesty Sour Cream Seasoning Mix
- 1 ½ tsp of Hot Sauce
- 1 ½ tsp of Olive Oil
- 1 ½ tsp fresh Lime Juice
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a shallow baking pan with wire racks. Rinse the Chicken Wings under cold Water. Pat dry using paper towels. Place the Wings in a bowl. Remove 2 tbsp of the Seasoning Mix from the package and set aside. Add in the Oil and the remaining Seasoning Mix to the Chicken and toss. Place the Wings on the racks in the pan. Bake for 25 minutes. In a small bowl mix the Hot Sauce, Lime, Oil, and the rest of the Seasoning Mix. Beat until smooth. Remove the pans from the Oven and turn the Wings over and bake for fifteen more minutes. Brush the Hot Sauce mix on the Wings. Bake for ten more minutes and then serve.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
