Today I took on that All-American favorite, Lasagna from page 38.
I’ll admit that I found “All-American” a strange classification for this Italian classic. I guess that Garfield is an All-American cat and he loves lasagna! I do get where Martha is coming from, this is an Americanized version of lasagna, which is a hard sell for someone like me who grew up on the more classic Italian version that my grandmother would make for special occasions. I think most of us have a tendency to be protective of cuisine that reflects our cultural heritage and we romanticize its authenticity.
So with all that said you may be wondering what I thought of this lasagna recipe. Well, to be honest I had mixed feelings. It was certainly delicious, it’s hard to go wrong with lasagna noodles, meat sauce and rich cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta! But I have to admit that I have a preference for the lasagna I grew up with. I guess that lasagna is one of those comfort foods that brings me back to my childhood and as open minded as I try to be with cuisine, this is one of the rare dishes where my nostalgia leaves me a bit biased. Perhaps Martha’s marinara version might be more my style.
But Jeff, being a Midwestern Ohio guy who grew up on a more American style cuisine than I did, really loved this recipe. It’s dense and rich with wonderfully chewy and creamy textures from the meat and cheese. Oh, and my kitten, Minnie, kept trying to jump on the table to steal some off my plate — she’s a cat after Garfield’s heart!
