At first glance, Lasagne ai semi di papavero may seem unusual. It has no classic tomato or cream-based sauces that many associate with Italian pasta. Instead, this traditional pasta dish from the Friuli region is a simple combination of pasta with butter, poppy seeds and sugar. Even though it is sweet, it is not a dessert. It’s a first course meal which you enjoy for before the main course.
Origin
But Lasagne ai semi di papavero isn’t really Italian at all. In fact it is Hungarian. Friuli Venezia Giulia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for hundreds of years. As a result, this border region has a unique blend of Italian, Slavic, Germanic and Hungarian cultures. These cultures have influences the cuisine of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region heavily over the years. Many of the traditional Friuli dishes are in fact borrowed from its neighbours. Friulians adapted these recipes by adding an Italian twist. Or they just just gave the recipe an Italian name and adopted the recipes as they were.
This is the case with lasagne au semi di papavero. The recipe is virtually identical to Hungary’s mákos tészta. It now just has an Italian name. Maybe the width of the pasta might be different. And Friulians do like to make the pasta from scratch. But it is essentially the same dish as mákos tészta. Wide noodles are cooked in salted water. Then simply mixed with a sprinkling of poppy seeds, sugar, and melted butter. This simple and minimalist dish allows the nutty, earthy flavour of the poppy seeds to shine through. All balanced with the sugar.
How to Make Lasagne ai Semi di Papavero
Lasagne ai Semi di Papavero is a very quick and simple to make. It is ideal for a mid-week treat. And the children love it.
Cook the Pasta: Cook pappardelle in boiling water until al dente.
Prepare the Sauce: Melt some butter in a pan. Then add lightly ground poppy seeds and icing sugar. Then add a few tablespoons of pasta water if needed.
Assemble the Dish: Add the sweetened poppy seeds to the warm pasta. Then toss the mixture to coat evenly. The result is a beautifully speckled pasta with a slight crunch from the poppy seeds with a sweet aroma from the sugar.
Buon appetito!
If you would like to enjoy more flavours from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, check out some of my other favourite Friuli recipes.
Lasagne ai semi di papavero
Ingredients
- 300 grams tagliatelle
- 6 tbsp butter
- 60 grams poppy seeds (lightly crushed)
- 60 grams icing sugar
Instructions
- Cook the tagliatelle until al dente. Reserve a few tbsps of the pasta water.
- Melt the butter in a pan and then add the poppy seeds and and mix well.
- Add the pasta to the pan and stir all the ingredients together. Add a 1-2 tbsps of pasta water if the mixture is a little dry. Then serve.
