"You can brush your teeth with lasagna" at Rome's 1978 restaurant.

The latest creation of an award-winning chef in Rome has raised some eyebrows in the culinary world: lasagna toothpaste.

Valerio Braschi, who won the 2017 edition of MasterChef Italia aged just 18, is the youngest winner of the title in the history of the culinary talent show.

Four years later he is head chef at the 1978 restaurant in the Trieste quarter of Rome and is once again making headlines.

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"At the 1978 restaurant you can brush your teeth with lasagna," reads a post on Braschi's Facebook page, accompanied by a photograph of lasagna in a tube, a toothbrush of egg pasta and a brodo di parmigiano.

But where did this uncoventional idea behind 'Lasagna 2021' come from?

Braschi says he was inspired by childhood memories of growing up in Santarcangelo di Romagna, near Rimini in northern Italy.

"The morning after the holidays, as soon as we woke up, we used to brush our teeth with a nice forkful of lasagna left over in the fridge from the day before."

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Braschi's creation has divided fans of lasagne on social media, between those who can't wait to try it and those who believe it is a step too far.

Cover photo: Ristorante 1978