Tausi Insider

Photo : Allie Chanthorn Reinmann The middle slice of lasagna is always the gooiest representation of the dish— more photogenic and more highly prized, since it’s protected on all sides and often has the best balance of fillings. But we all know where the real action is : the crispy edges, where the cheese has a satisfying , caramelized crunch . For those edge-loving lasagna eaters, there’s a simple way to get that sought after crispiness on the sides, top, and bottom of every bite: Make an inside-out lasagna cake. This lasagna cake sprung from one of my irritating personality traits: I dislike large quantities of tomato sauce. More accurately , I enjoy a perfect balance of sauce to noodle, erring on the side of less sauce. T he more naked noodles on the edges that end up toasted and chewy, the better . It’s the same frame of mind that celebrates spaghetti pie , or tahdig ; t hos e crispy starches always get me, and t his dish is built with that preference in mind. The i...

People shop at Fiesta Farms independent grocery in Toronto on Jan. 20. Christopher Katsarov/Tausi Insider In many homes, dry pasta is a ubiquitous pantry item. Busy families with picky eaters can prepare steaming bowls of cost-friendly spaghetti or penne in minutes, a salve to hectic schedules and stretched budgets. Of late, those costs aren’t nearly as friendly. Pasta prices have been climbing rapidly during this spell of high inflation, far exceeding the increases for most other grocery items. As of October, the price of pasta products had jumped 27.4 per cent over the past year, according to Statistics Canada, compared with general food inflation of 10 per cent. Dry and fresh pasta was up 45 per cent. The average retail price for a 500-gram package of pasta was $3.40 in October, an increase of $1.19 (54 per cent) from two years earlier. Food inflation takes a big bite out of Christmas dinner budgets It’s not just a Canadian trend. In Britain, the price of pasta products and cousco...

Last week, Pasta brand Ronzoni delivered some harsh news to pasta lovers via Instagram. "After extensive efforts, we regretfully announce that Ronzoni Pastina is being discontinued," the company wrote . Pastina, which is Italian for "tiny dough," comes in the shape of a tiny, five-pointed star. In the post, Ronzoni said Pastina is being discontinued because one of their long-term suppliers can no longer manufacture the shape and that the decision was incredibly "difficult." Ronzoni also said the company searched "extensively" for an alternative, but hasn't been able to find a suitable option that would allow for the same "size and standards" that consumers "have come to expect from Ronzoni." Pastina is the smallest shape Ronzoni sells, and averages for about $1.69 for a 12 oz box. Reactions have been widespread, with fans sharing their devastation. "You're telling me you aren't rich enough to h...