The difference between lasagna and timbale

Knowing the difference between lasagna and timbale is not easy, also because depending on the region these 2 dishes take different names. There are even those who speak of lasagna timbale, to complicate the matter even more. Let’s clarify things a bit and see what differentiates a lasagna from a timbale.

The first difference between lasagna and timbale

Although we can easily get confused and swap one for the other, a first big difference between a lasagna and a timbale dish is visible at first glance. The lasagne are prepared by superimposing different sheets of pastafresh or dried it doesn’t matter, and alternating layers of stuffing between one sheet and another. The timbaleInstead, looks more like a mess and it can have pasta, rice, meat, fish or just vegetables as its main ingredient.

The shape, another difference between lasagna and timbale

A further difference between lasagna and timbale is given by form. Both of these dishes are baked in the oven. There lasagna is normally prepared in a rectangular container or at most square. The etymology of the word timbale Instead, it reveals the rounded shape or at maximum ovale which is usually used for the container where this dish is prepared. In fact, timbale is a word of Arabic origin that indicates a percussion musical instrument, a kind of drum. Furthermore, while lasagna is normally cooked in a rather low mould, the one used for the timbale can be even higher.

Origin

Unlike lasagna, the timbale was born as an anti-waste recipe. The peasants prepared it with vegetables and herbs such as chicory and thenettlemixed with other products of their work, like egg e cheese. Although some restaurants serve timbales with very refined and elegant presentations, this dish is still today an excellent fridge emptying trick. The origins of lasagna they even seem to date back to the Ancient Romanseven if the recipe was very different from the one we know, and its consumption is documented in some royal palaces such as the Angevin Court.

Great variety of recipes

Although there is a big difference between lasagna and timbale, these two dishes have one thing in common similar fate, or the great variety of recipes with which they are prepared. Both lend themselves to various interpretations based on local regional traditions and ai lord and at consumer needs. So, in addition to the classic Bolognese lasagna that everyone knows, there are Neapolitan lasagna, typical of Carnival, made with meatloaf, Neapolitan ragù, ricotta, provola, pecorino. There are others too regional variants, for example with mushrooms or Treviso radicchio or pesto. Finally let’s not forget the recipes of l100% vegetable asagne, with raw alternatives. They also exist for the timbale different typologies according to the region and the social context. Dal Sicilian-style short macaroni timbale al timbale Ciociara style, from Puglia to Campania, from Calabria to Sardinia and up the boot, each geographical area offers its own recipe. This is the true richness of Italian cuisine!