Spinach colors the green pasta sheets in lasagne alla ferrarese.
Lasagne alla ferrarese comes from Ferrara in Emilia-Romagna. Its green sheets are made by mixing cooked spinach into the pasta dough, producing a distinctive color and adding a mild vegetal note. The spinach is incorporated into the dough itself, not merely scattered between the layers as a filling.
Green pasta is often called lasagne verdi, meaning “green lasagne.” In northern Italy, fresh pasta dough is traditionally made with wheat flour and eggs, and spinach can be added to create the green version. The sheets may then be layered with meat sauces, béchamel and cheese, depending on the regional recipe.
The color can lead to confusion because herbs such as parsley or basil also produce green sauces and doughs. In this specific Ferrara tradition, however, spinach is the named ingredient responsible for the green sheets. Zucchini is a possible lasagne vegetable but is not the classic coloring ingredient here.