Is Lasagna the best Italian meal?
- Thread starter BFIB
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Carbonara. Then probably pizza, THEN lasagne. Pizza beats out lasagne because you have to be in a certain mindset/level of hunger to eat a lasagne. Pizza just so versatile.
Now you may ask, well you could say the same about pizza vs carbonara, so why is carbonara ahead of pizza in your rankings?
And I'll tell you why.
...its because carbonara is fucking amazing.
Now you may ask, well you could say the same about pizza vs carbonara, so why is carbonara ahead of pizza in your rankings?
And I'll tell you why.
...its because carbonara is fucking amazing.
There are pasta dishes that are superior to pizza and lasagna
But they're not easy to make and are very fattening and expensive
But Italian food is amazing.
But they're not easy to make and are very fattening and expensive
But Italian food is amazing.
In this order ONLY:
Like others said, even BAD pizza is good. You can't fuck it up. Even with pineapples!!!
- Pizza
- Meatlovers lasagna
- Garlic/parmesan bread/knots
- Whatever lasagna
- Other pastas... and below
Like others said, even BAD pizza is good. You can't fuck it up. Even with pineapples!!!
I love lasagna but would never order it out at an Italian restaurant, I don't know why. I think it's because store bought lasagna is generally really good. Like there's not a huge difference in a Whole Foods heat at home lasagna and a lasagna you'd get at a decent italian restaurant.
I second Gangster Gastino that if I'm at a good italian restaurant, I'll probably get gnocchi because fresh gnocchi is hard to get at the super market and it's time consuming to make it at home, so if there's a place that has a gnocchi special or something, I'll get that.
I dunno what it is but I like "Tortelini matthew," which is something that's common at a lot of Italian american restaurants in New England, it's basically just like... tortelini in a light vodka tomato cream sauce usually, and frequently with spinach. I just love it. Nothing special about it, but it's a go to for me if the restaurant has it.
I second Gangster Gastino that if I'm at a good italian restaurant, I'll probably get gnocchi because fresh gnocchi is hard to get at the super market and it's time consuming to make it at home, so if there's a place that has a gnocchi special or something, I'll get that.
I dunno what it is but I like "Tortelini matthew," which is something that's common at a lot of Italian american restaurants in New England, it's basically just like... tortelini in a light vodka tomato cream sauce usually, and frequently with spinach. I just love it. Nothing special about it, but it's a go to for me if the restaurant has it.
No ricotta cheese in my lasagna. Honestly I dont feel it is a staple of the dish. Any shredded cheese like moz and cheddar will work.
This, there's a local place that makes Gnocchi of ripped plantains instead of potatoes and they are sooooo good. It's one of my favorite meals.
Lasagna is one of the worst choices and only better than maybe stuff shells or manicotti. The ratio of noodles and cheese is gross and sickening. If we are just talking about pasta dishes then chicken parm or a simple spaghetti and meatballs are light years better.
Vodka Penne is probably my favorite though.
Vodka Penne is probably my favorite though.
Pizza
Carbonara
Ragu
Lasagna is maybe top10?
Of course all this is implying that these are made right but barely anyone outside of Italy knows how to make them right.
I cringe when someone puts cream or garlic into a Carbonara and I don't even have to go into how badly Pizza tends to get basterdized.
Carbonara
Ragu
Lasagna is maybe top10?
Of course all this is implying that these are made right but barely anyone outside of Italy knows how to make them right.
I cringe when someone puts cream or garlic into a Carbonara and I don't even have to go into how badly Pizza tends to get basterdized.
I'll take baked ziti over lasagna. Even stuffed shells or manicotti I prefer. Lasagna js still great though.
The fucked up thing is that -today - after covid's impact on restaurants and recent inflation, this does not look bad for $30.
a tier system of all Italian dishes where 90% of the stuff is S or A tier would be more accurate
I've never been super wowed by lasagna, but I'm not sure if I've ever had really well-made lasagna in the first place, and most I've had were made with ricotta or cottage cheese which I'm not a huge fan of either.
Regardless though, my pick would be just a solid, dark, low and slow beef bolognese. Thick and rich, hell I don't even need pasta with it, though my preference would be bowtie or big shells.
EDIT: Just look at this shit
Regardless though, my pick would be just a solid, dark, low and slow beef bolognese. Thick and rich, hell I don't even need pasta with it, though my preference would be bowtie or big shells.
EDIT: Just look at this shit
Pizza>chicken parm>lasagna.
But if you laid out the BEST of these dishes in front of me. I would probably do for the lasagna first.
But if you laid out the BEST of these dishes in front of me. I would probably do for the lasagna first.
Lasagna is fine, but I don't think of that as an "Italian dish" because most lasagnas I've ate have been good but they're like Midwestern mom lasagna you know?
Anyway to me the quintessential Italian meal is spaghetti & meatballs. When it's good, it's perfect. But getting even good spag & meatballs is kind of dicey, so I very rarely order it. Chicken parmesan is my go-to dish when I go out for Italian. High floor, relatively high ceiling. The one I make is better, but it's insanely time consuming and I just don't have the spoons.
Lately I've been obsessed with this local Italian place's baked penne with rose sauce & sausage. That's a banger right there.
Anyway to me the quintessential Italian meal is spaghetti & meatballs. When it's good, it's perfect. But getting even good spag & meatballs is kind of dicey, so I very rarely order it. Chicken parmesan is my go-to dish when I go out for Italian. High floor, relatively high ceiling. The one I make is better, but it's insanely time consuming and I just don't have the spoons.
Lately I've been obsessed with this local Italian place's baked penne with rose sauce & sausage. That's a banger right there.
Anolini with Parmigiano Reggiano or Stracotto is the best italian meal, but you can find them only in italy and very few places make them right.
Outside of Italy, the most consistent plate is Carbonara.
Outside of Italy, the most consistent plate is Carbonara.
Naw, homemade baked ziti.
-16oz Short cut rigatoni
-Ricotta
-A seasoned tomato sauce. I use Hunts with EVOO, basil and some cayenne pepper (a smidge of it)
-"Italian blend" of shredded cheese to mix into the slurry
-Whole milk mozz on top and below the pasta in tray so it makes a semi burned cheese shell beneath
-Parmesan EVERYWHERE
425 temp in oven for 25 minutes or so
Cut into dense squares.
-16oz Short cut rigatoni
-Ricotta
-A seasoned tomato sauce. I use Hunts with EVOO, basil and some cayenne pepper (a smidge of it)
-"Italian blend" of shredded cheese to mix into the slurry
-Whole milk mozz on top and below the pasta in tray so it makes a semi burned cheese shell beneath
-Parmesan EVERYWHERE
425 temp in oven for 25 minutes or so
Cut into dense squares.
Spaghetti and meatballs isn't Italian. Just so you know.
Anyway I love lasagne. All the variations and regional differences when making. With Italians ingredients or with cheddar. Or switching the meat for haggis (Scottish version)
Yeah, I'm not exactly surprised that's the case. But it fucking rules.
Roman lasagna is one of the tastiest things on this Earth. I personally prefer them over the OG Bolo version.
Orecchiette con cime di rapa, so good.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LvS6N6w7N0
Orecchiette con cime di rapa, so good.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LvS6N6w7N0
In my experience the best Italian meal...is ALL THE MEALS. Followed by dessert. Followed by shaved ice. Preceded by soup. And bread. All at the same time, in a kind of gauntlet.
except in Abruzzo where you can have spaghetti alla chitarra con pallottine, which are technically small meatballs (and excellent too)
- lasagne alla bolognese don't have any ricotta
- you clearly never had proper ricotta
- ricotta technically is not cheese
