Lasagna Is Done A Little Differently In Naples, Italy (And It Sounds Amazing)

When it comes to cuisine, Naples, Italy, is undeniably most famous for its legendary Neapolitan-style pies. However, the birthplace of pizza boasts plenty of mouthwatering culinary delights, including a unique regional version of another of Italy's most beloved comfort dishes, lasagna. Naples-style lasagna di Carnevale is an extra-indulgent layered pasta stuffed with an impressive array of animal products. Variations abound, but the decadent dish typically consists of pasta layered with ricotta, mozzarella, petite fried meatballs, sausage, tomato-based ragu sauce, and hard-boiled eggs.

As the name suggests, lasagna di Carnevale is typically enjoyed during the Carnival period in Naples, as a final meat- and cheese-packed feast before the traditionally meat-free Lenten season. Lasagna di Carnevale is different from other baked pasta dishes thanks to the inclusion of several key ingredients: ricotta (instead of béchamel, which is arguably the proper filling for lasagna), small fried meatballs, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. While none of these ingredients is particularly notable on its own, combining them all into one mouthwateringly rich baked pasta dish is a uniquely Neapolitan tradition.

If you're considering whipping up this amazing-sounding lasagna at home, fair warning that it's no piece of cake. While lasagna di Carnevale seems a bit like the "everything but the kitchen sink" of baked pastas, its preparation is anything but careless — the celebratory dish traditionally takes at least four hours to cook up.

Like so many elements of Italian food history, the exact origins of lasagna di Carnevale are unclear and hotly disputed. However, the dish probably originated in the early 1700s in Naples, meaning Neapolitan chefs have been perfecting the elaborate recipe for some three centuries. These days, lasagna di Carnevale remains a staple at trattorie and osterie (there is a difference) across the city throughout Carnival season. 

Lasagna di Carnevale isn't Naples only claim to lasagna fame. While Naples probably isn't the original birthplace of lasagna, it does seem to be the first place where the pasta dish was prepared with a tomato-based sauce. The veggie (or is it a fruit?) has played a critical role in the city's cuisine since the late 17th century, when Neapolitan chefs whipped up the first Italian tomato sauces, but it wasn't until much later — probably in the late 1800s — that they made their way into pasta recipes such as lasagna di Carnevale. If you're hungry for more of Italy's most unique dishes, don't miss these must-try regional Italian foods.