When Annie Morhauser from Issue 03: Monterey Bay adds cinnamon to her lasagna, she’s not just creating a unique twist—she’s tapping into centuries of culinary tradition that spans continents, empires, and royal kitchens.
Annie’s Basil and Cinnamon Lasagna is a recipe passed down through generations in her Italian family. Her grandfather and great-grandfather were muralists in Italy, and her mother was a multi-talented sewist. Along with their artistic sensibility, she inherited this cherished dish with unique flavors.
Let’s rewind for a moment…
Did you know that cinnamon was once considered so valuable in the ancient world that it was equal in worth to gold and ivory? And while Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon as part of their embalming rituals, physicians from the Middle Ages used cinnamon to help treat cold and throat ailments. It was even gifted to pharaohs.
This spice has traveled a long, winding road through history—so it’s no wonder it found its way into the kitchen.
Here’s where things get even more interesting: pasta used to be sweet.
When pasta first arrived in Sicily from the Arabs, it carried Middle Eastern influences like raisins, cinnamon, and other warming spices. Early Sicilian pasta dishes often featured these flavors, creating combinations that might surprise modern palates.
Cinnamon remained a beloved ingredient in Italian Renaissance cooking. Bartolomeo Scappi, a famed Renaissance chef, documented a 1570 recipe for Pasta Reale: pasta sheets layered with butter, provatura (a mozzarella-like cheese), Parmigiano, sugar, pepper, and cinnamon. Before serving, it was dusted with even more sugar and cinnamon.
By the 19th century, the tradition lingered. In 1837, Ippolito Cavalcanti, Duke of Buonvicino, described Neapolitan lasagna recipes that included sugar and cinnamon in their rich, layered creations.
Annie’s lasagna isn’t just a recipe—it’s a continuation of an age-old tradition that blends artistry, ancestry, and adaptation. Much like her work at Annieglass, it’s a reminder that beauty often comes from mixing the expected with the unexpected. It’s a dish that bridges the past and present, bringing a subtle sweetness and warmth to a familiar favorite.
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