Tortiglioni are one of many varieties of maccherone, one of the oldest types of pasta originating from Naples.
The name in Italian refers to the shape and comes from the Vulgar Latin tortillare which literally means to wrap in a spiral with a characteristic pattern from the lathe used in pasta production.
The shape is particularly versatile, but also very original, and best suited to full-bodied sauces.
Tortiglioni are excellent served with succulent, meat-based sauces. They are also very good served with tomato sauce or vegetable and tomatic sauces. It is a particularly suitable type of pasta for oven-baked dishes.
Available in 500g packs.
Lasagna is one of the oldest forms of pasta recorded. It probably corresponds to the Latin "Lagana" (which in turn was derived from the Greek "laganon": large, flat sheet of pasta cut into strips) and it began to be known as "Lasagna" probably after the year 1000 AD. The first traces of the widespread use of the term "Lasagna" can be found in the works of the most renowned 12th century Italian poets. "Granel di pepe vince / per virtù la lasagna", (a peppercorn beats lasagna for virtue) states Jacopone da Todi. Cecco Angiolieri,on the other hand, warns his readers, "chi de l'altrui farina fa lasagne / il su' castello non ha ne muro ne fosso" (He who makes lasagna with another's flour / his castle will have no walls or moat).
It has long been one of the most well-known and popular types of pasta in Italian cooking, and the simplest and most commonly used recipe calls for a ragù, béchamel and parmesan, although mozzarella has also been introduced more recently.
Delicious "white" versions are also quite commonplace with sauces made from mushrooms and vegetables.
Available in 500g packs.