lasagna

Etymology

From Italian lasagna (and its plural lasagne), possibly from Vulgar Latin *lasania, from Latin lasanum (“cooking pot”), from Ancient Greek λάσανον (lásanon, “trivet or stand for a pot”). Others argue the Italian lasagna originally derived from the Arabic لَوْزِينَج (lawzīnaj, “almond cake”).

noun

1. A flat sheet of pasta.
2. An Italian baked dish comprising layers of such pasta with various ingredients (usually a meat ragù (chiefly Bolognese), a fish ragù or a vegetarian/vegetable ragù with bechamel sauce).
   I’m going to fix you a cup of coffee and a plate of lasagna. 2013, James Lee Burke, Light of the World, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, page 299
3. (by extension) A combination or layering of things.
   Kristofer'd gotten it through his head shortly after their arrival to swim naked in the lake, such as it was, and his skin blemished into a lasagna of red hives, white welts, and disarming yellowish spots. 1996, Lance Olsen, Time Famine: A Novel
   Unfortunately, typical mattresses are often a lasagna of nonbiodegradable synthetics, pesticides, and potentially carcinogenic toxins. 2008, Body & Soul
   It's sort of a lasagna of ideas about time and dreams. 2011, Thorsten Botz-Bornstein, Inception and Philosophy: Ideas to Die for, Open Court Publishing, page 280
   “Everything about us is just one layer of lies after another. We're a lasagna of lies. This is a terrible basis for a relationship.” 2013, Molly Harper, How to Run with a Naked Werewolf, Simon and Schuster
   CHOCOLATE LASAGNA / Who says lasagna is only a main dish? Serve this easy, no-bake lasagna for dessert. / Ingredients / 2 3.9-ounce packages (110 g) instant chocolate pudding mix / 2 cups (473 mL) milk / 8 ounces (227g) whipped topping / 16 graham crackers, chocolate or plan / 1 1/2 cups (75g) mini marshmallows / chocolate syrup 2020, Rebecca E. Hirsch, Garfield's Guide to Lasagna: Cooking Nature's Perfect Food, Lerner Publications, page 20