Italian Sesame Cookies – We make these at Christmas. Great with coffee in the morning.
Origin
The cookies were made with a simple mixture of flour, water, and sometimes nuts or honey. As the Roman Empire spread, the recipe for biscotti traveled to different parts of Europe and was adapted by local bakers. In medieval Italy, a variation of biscotti known as cantuccini was created in the Tuscan town of Prato.
Romans were famous for embracing local customs, cultures, and foods into their society so it wasn’t long before this became commonplace in their cuisine. Rome came to adore the lagonon noodle, a flatbread dough cut into thin strips, then smothered in a various toppings. Under Roman influence, the recipe made its way to Italy where chefs altered it until it became the amazing dish we know today.
Lasagna first made is a grand entrance in Naples, Italy during the Middle Ages in the 14th century. Initially, this dish was reserved for special events and holidays. Ironically, this pleasure inducing food was introduced to Italians in the middle of the Black Plague.
Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread 3/4 cup of pasta sauce in the bottom of slow cooker.
Stir remaining pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in slow cooker. Breaking noodles if necessary. Top with 1/3 of the alfredo sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 ground beef mixture
Repeat last step two more times.
Top with two lasagna noodles and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top.
We could say that the Romans invented this dish; at least the earliest iteration thereof. The recipe as it appears in Apicius isn’t exactly the same as what you may be familiar with. A more concrete origin for the American version of this dish can be found in scrapple.
Quaker’s Meatloaf
Best meatloaf ever. Nancy loves meatloaf sandwiches.
History. Broccoli resulted from breeding of landrace Brassica crops in the northern Mediterranean starting in about the sixth century BC. Broccoli has its origins in primitive cultivars grown in the Roman Empire and was most likely improved via artificial selection in the southern Italian Peninsula or in Sicily.
Our cabbages originated in the Middle East (and with the warming climate that is a very good thing) Brussels sprouts and cauliflowers look nothing alike. Despite this, botanically, they are the same species: Brassica oleracea. And their ancestor grows on the rocky coasts of England and France: the wild cabbage.
No one knows the exact origin of this dish because many different cultures share the affinity for peppers stuffed with a cheesy, meaty, rice filling dating back thousands of years. In Spain, pimientos rellenos are the peppers of choice, stuffed with Manchego cheese, chicken, or cod in a red sauce.
