GB2027579A - Pasta of Lasagna type - Google Patents

Abstract

An Italian pasta ribbon-like product comprises a row of longitudinally marshalled undulations 11, 12 and continuously scalloped edges 13 and 14, to prevent the warping of the pasta ribbon upon drying and long storage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pasta of lasagna type This invention relates to a type of sheet pasta known as lasagna or lasagnone, and proposes a new configuration thereof which overcomes the drawbacks inherent in known products.

The type of pasta to which the invention relates consists of a thin sheet of large size, namely in the form of a rectangle having a side several centimetres long, for example about ten centimetres or more.

Pasta of such dimensions gives rise to certain difficulties which occur due to its size, and certain difficulties which arise during its use.

In this respect, sheets prepared from a moist mixture and then dried, in accordance with the normal method for processing pastas, are subject to notable deformation, particularly because of the considerable size of the product. In practice, this deformation results in a marked and irregular deviation from a flat shape, due to warping with a large radius of curvature.

Such a deformation leads to various difficulties, connected in particular with the automatic handling of the product for its packaging. In this respect, it becomes difficult and complicated to grip the product and convey it into its package because of its irregular configuration.

Moreover, the deformed sheets when piled in a determined number occupy a space of irregular dimensions, which is many times greater than that which they would occupy if they were of substantially flat shape. In addition, they are subject to easy breakage as they are rather fragile.

It must also be considered that the most common use for this type of pasta involves initial partial cooking in water, after which the pasta is built up into layers using various condiments, and cooking is then terminated in the oven. During the initial cooking in water, the lasagna pieces, which were originally flat, quickly lose the curvature which they have assumed during the drying of the pasta, and then have a strong tendency to adhere together, because of which it becomes difficult or impossible to use them.

The object of the present invention is to propose a shape for pasta of lasagna type which is able to undergo all the processing procedures of the known art, and in particular without assuming any irregular deformation during drying, but instead maintaining a generally constant flat shape which allows good amassing of the product in its package and'easy mechanical handling. A further object of the invention is to propose a product configuration which prevents or substantially limits any possibility of the various pieces adhering together during their cooking.

These objects are attained according to the invention by providing a dry pasta lasagna comprising continuous longitudinal undulations, plus transverse undulations at the longitudinal edges of the product.

The objects and essential characteristics of the product according to the invention will be made apparent by the description given hereinafter of one embodiment, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lasagna configured in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view in the direction of arrow A of Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are sections on the lines Ill-Ill and lV-IV of Figure 1.

A dry pasta lasagna indicated overall by 10 is formed from a relatively thin sheet folded into longitudinal undulations which form crests, 11 and .12 respectively, on one side and the other of the lasagna.

The lateral edges of the lasagna are formed into undulations which are orthogonal to the undulations 11 and 12, and which comprise crests 1 3 and 1 4 from which they rapidly taper towards the centre of the lasagna, and therefore extend only over the edge of the lasagna, or in the example illustrated substantially less than one half wave of the undulations 11, 1 2.

The height of the undulations 11, 1 2 (indicated by b) and the height of the undulations 13, 14 (indicated by c) are not particularly critical, but advantageously are many times the thickness of the height of the sheet of dried pasta constituting the lasagna.

The terminal edge 1 5 are advantageously finished with toothing.

It has been found in practice that if the product is formed in the manner according to the invention from moist pasta by the normal method for forming these products, the subsequent drying of the pasta sheet does not induce any appreciable warping deformation in it in practice, so that it presents only very limited deviations from the form given'to the moist product.

The longitudinal undulations 11, 12 are easily produced by extruding the product through an extrusion head of corresponding shape. The transverse undulations are formed after extrusion, using machines known to this branch of the art The production of substantially flat products, and in particular products of constant shape, means that they can be easily handled mechanically for packaging purposes, this also being facilitated by the fact that the products are properly stackable, therefore occupying a relatively small space and not being subject to easy breakage.

In addition, the combination of undulations formed in the product substantially limits the possibility of the pieces of lasagna adhering together accidentally during cooking, with the consequent disadvantages heretofore mentioned.

As stated, the height b of the longitudinal undulations 11, 12 is suitably prechosen in accordance with the rigidity and strength which it is required to give the product. The product obviously becomes more stable and robust by increasing this height, however the undulations must not be of excessive height otherwise they will alter the substantially flat configuration required of this type of pasta.

Equal arguments apply to the undulations 13, 14, of which the allowable longitudinal length can also vary.However, these taper from the edge towards the centre of the lasagna in such a manner that they do not extend over more than half a pitch of the undulations 11, 12, to obtain the advantages of the invention.

Suitable modifications can be made to the embodiment of the lasagna as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and heretofore described, in order to adapt the product to market needs and requirements, in particular with regard to its dimensions and proportions.

Claims (6)

1. A dry thin sheet pasta product of lasagna form, comprising, in combination, a first series of continuous longitudinal undulations, plus a second series of transverse undulations at the longitudinal edges of the lasagna.

2. A product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said longitudinal undulations are directed along the direction of extrusion of the product, and the transverse undulations are disposed substantially orthogonal to the direction of extrusion.

3. A product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the height of said undulations is many times greater than the thickness of the pasta sheet.

4. A product as claimed in claim 3. wherein said transverse undulations taper in height from the product edge towards its centre.

5. A product as claimed in claim 4, wherein said transverse undulations extend substantially over not more than one half pitch of the longitudinal undulations.

6. A product as claimed in the preceding claims, substantially as heretofore described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.