Lasagna is both a form of pasta in sheets (sometimes rippled, though seldom so in Northern Italy) and also a dish, sometimes named lasagne al forno (meaning "oven-cooked lasagne") made with alternate layers of pasta, cheese, and often meat or tomato sauce. In Italy the dish is called "Lasagne" and not "Lasagna".rnrnThe word lasagna, which originally applied to a cooking pot, now simply describes the food itself. Most English-speaking people follow the Italian usage and use the plural "lasagne" to refer to both the dish and the pasta, but Americans commonly use the singular "lasagna".
Food & Wines
Lasagna
Recipes
Meat Lasagna
Meat lasagna is a wine's dream pairing partner. All of the variables are there: The meat is just perfect for a nice, rich red wine, the pasta is a great canvas upon which the wine can strut its stuff, and the tomato sauce and herbs are the perfect partner for the acidity in the wine. This, then, means that you have a number of options when it comes to pairing meat lasagna with wine. The classic partner is Chianti, whose telltale combination of smokiness and acidity seems custom-made for meat lasagna. And a nice Sangiovese, perhaps a leathery, brightly acidic one from the Molise region of Southeast Italy, would also be a nice option. Of course, if you're pairing a wine with a richer, fuller-flavored lasagna, then you can always go with a Cabernet Sauvignon. Just be careful of those tanninsan overly tannic cab and a less-than-meaty lasagna will not work all that well. But with the right balance, its delicious.
Suggested Wines
Vegetable Lasagna
Vegetable lasagna presents a more difficult set of issues, for veggies are notoriously tough to pair perfectly with many wines. But as long as you think creatively, then you'll be just fine. One of the classic ingredients in vegetable lasagna is mushroom, and nothing goes better with that than Pinot Noir. Just make sure you match the weight of the wine with the weight of the lasagna. In other words, a rich version of the lasagna will need a richer Pinot, like one from California's Russian River Valley. A lighter one will be more appropriate with a Burgundy-style wine, like one from either France or Oregon. And if you don't want to deal with Pinot Noir at all, then you can always just rely on the old classic: Chianti. It won't be as great a pairing partner as it is with meat lasagna, but theres enough of an affinity between lasagna and Chianti to make it work. And if youre feeling really adventurous, give Cabernet Franc a try.
