Rethinking the Lasagne

There’s something about lasagne that feels like home. Golden crust, bubbling cheese, layers of pasta and sauce — it’s comfort food distilled into a neat, oven-baked rectangle. But the more I’ve travelled, the more I’ve realised: lasagne is not just an Italian classic, it’s a canvas. Every city, every culture, every kitchen I’ve stepped into seems to have its own idea of what lasagne could be.

Milan: Where It All Began

The first time I had lasagne in Milan, it was a revelation. Forget the heavy, cheesy brick I knew from childhood — here it was delicate layers of fresh pasta, béchamel, and a slow-cooked ragù that tasted like a family secret passed down for centuries. It was refined, almost light. And it made me wonder: what else had I misunderstood about lasagne?

Zanzibar: Spice in the Layers

In my home, the spice island of Zanzibar, I met a chef who folded cinnamon and cloves into his sauce. Imagine lasagne infused with the warmth of cardamom, the fragrance of nutmeg. It was a marriage between Italy and East Africa, layers that tasted like trade winds and dhows gliding across the Indian Ocean.

London: Plant-Powered Comfort

Back in London, the lasagne conversation is all about reinvention. Vegan lasagne made with cashew béchamel, roasted vegetables stacked like colourful postcards, lentil ragù that carries all the depth without the meat. Here, lasagne is about inclusivity and about making sure everyone has a seat at the table.

Muscat: Lasagne with a View of the Gulf

In Oman, I found lasagne reinvented with lamb and dates. Sweetness peeking through savoury layers, creamy yogurt standing in for béchamel. Eating it while watching the sun dip into the Gulf was a reminder that food doesn’t just fill you up, it connects you to place.

Why Rethink the Lasagne?

Because food is a kind of travel. Every tweak, every spice, every substitution is a stamp in the passport of a dish. Rethinking lasagne isn’t about disrespecting tradition, it’s about letting the dish travel, adapt, and tell new stories.

So next time you sit down to eat lasagne, ask yourself: what journey is hidden between those layers?