While un­or­tho­dox, the Ethio­pian lasagna does have a foundation in East African cooking. Neighboring Eritrea was an Italian colony for decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the Italians, under Benito Mussolini, occupied Ethi­o­pia from 1936 to 1941. Italian food and drink left a permanent mark on both countries, one of the very few outside influences on cooking in the region.

Yet, regardless of its legitimacy, Alifom’s lasagna did not set firmly, nor was it particularly pleasing to the eye. “It was delicious, but was it something that was usable and sellable?” says Alifom, who has a food and beverage background with Marriott Hotels. “When you started digging into it, the thing was moving left and right.”