In Bologna, food isn’t just something you eat—it’s something you do. This is a city where culinary tradition runs deep, passed down not through cookbooks, but through flour-dusted hands, wooden rolling pins, and stories shared over a simmering pot of ragù.
Nowhere is this more evident than at the kitchen table, where locals have been crafting one of Italy’s most iconic dishes for centuries: lasagna alla bolognese. But behind every perfect slice of this beloved dish lies a detail that sets it apart from imitations around the world—a vibrant, flavorful element that speaks of authenticity: the green dough.
And today, the secret behind that green dough—and much more—can be discovered in a hands-on Bologna cooking class, where tradition comes alive through touch, taste, and time spent at the stove.
What Makes a Lasagna Truly Bolognese?
When most people think of lasagna, they picture flat sheets of pasta, meat sauce, and cheese. But in Bologna—the birthplace of this dish—the recipe is very different from what’s served abroad.
Authentic lasagna alla bolognese is layered with a few essential components:
- Ragù alla bolognese, a slow-cooked meat sauce made with soffritto, minced beef and pork, tomato, and wine
- Besciamella, a creamy béchamel sauce that replaces ricotta or mozzarella
- And most importantly, sfoglia verde: fresh pasta sheets made with spinach and eggs, rolled thin by hand
It’s this green pasta dough that gives the dish its unmistakable color and a delicate, earthy note that balances the richness of the sauces. The dough’s origins trace back to local tradition, when cooks would add spinach to egg pasta to enrich its flavor and make it visually distinct.
The Art of Green Dough: A Ritual Passed Down
Making green dough is a tactile, almost meditative ritual. The spinach is cooked, chopped, and incorporated into flour and eggs until the dough becomes smooth, vibrant, and elastic. Then comes the rolling—by hand, with a wooden pin—until it’s thin enough to almost see through, yet strong enough to hold the ragù and besciamella.
This process is the soul of Bolognese cooking: simple ingredients, mastered technique, and a deep respect for heritage.
What may seem like a detail—the color of the dough—is actually a sign of authenticity. It’s how you know you’re eating real lasagna alla bolognese, not a tourist-friendly imitation.
Where Tradition Meets Experience: Learn It by Doing
Today, travelers from all over the world come to Emilia-Romagna to discover its culinary roots. But there’s a big difference between eating a local dish and learning to make it yourself, especially when it comes to something as meaningful as lasagna.
That’s why hands-on experiences like a Bologna cooking class have become one of the most sought-after activities for visitors who want to go deeper into Italian culture.
And when it comes to making lasagna with green dough, there’s no better place to learn than right in the center of Bologna itself.
Discover the Original Lasagna in a Real Bologna Cooking Class
At La Soffritta Cooking School, located just steps from Piazza Maggiore, you can now take part in an experience designed for those who want to cook, learn, and taste the real thing.
In this Bologna cooking class, guests start by making fresh spinach pasta dough from scratch, just as Bolognese grandmothers have done for generations. You’ll knead it by hand, roll it thin, and cut it into perfect lasagna sheets—guided by local chefs passionate about sharing their craft.
Next, you’ll prepare the béchamel sauce and layer your lasagna with slow-cooked ragù, already prepared in advance the traditional way (because good ragù takes hours, not minutes). Then, as your lasagna bakes in the oven, you’ll enjoy an aperitivo with local wine and cured meats, and create one or two flavors of homemade gelato—a sweet surprise that completes the experience.
After three hours of cooking and sharing, you’ll sit down to eat the lasagna you made yourself, with a glass of wine and your own gelato for dessert. It’s not just a meal—it’s a full immersion into Bolognese tradition.
It’s ideal for individuals, couples, small groups, and families—especially those looking to share an activity together. And unlike classes that simplify or adapt recipes for tourists, here you’ll learn the true method, step by step, with a cookbook included so you can recreate the dish at home.
Bringing Bologna Home
The magic of this experience isn’t just in the techniques you’ll learn—it’s in the moment when you take your first bite of a lasagna you crafted yourself, using the same green dough that has defined Bolognese cuisine for centuries.
It’s the kind of memory that stays with you long after the vacation ends.
Want to learn the secret behind real lasagna alla bolognese?
Join our Bologna cooking class and bring home not just a recipe, but a piece of Italy’s culinary soul.
