Medieval Creations: Lasagna?

British researchers say the original recipe for an Italian specialty, lasagna, can be traced to England.

David Crompton and several others found a 14th century recipe in The Forme of Cury at the British Museum. The recipe book was commissioned by King Richard II in 1390.

Crompton works for The Grail Presents, a company that puts on medieval events.

"This is the first recorded recipe for a lasagna-based dish," said Crompton. "The Italian dish has tomatoes, which were only discovered two centuries later in the New World."

The ingredients include cinnamon and saffron, not common in the Italian version.

"We prepared the medieval lasagna...it was delicious, although strangely sweet and spicy," said Crompton.

The Forme of Cury calls it loseyns (pronounced lasan) and advises the cook to make a paste from flour, to roll it thin and cook it with grated cheese and other condiments.

An Italian Embassy spokesman says "whatever this old dish was called, it was not lasagna as we make it."

From: CBC NEWS