A Passion for Pasta by Rosanna Mignacca Great meals require a dollop of imagination, a sprinkling of adventure, and a generous helping of passion. Pasta, with its myriad shapes and ability to complement meat, fish, vegetables, and spices, offers endless possibilities for creative, delectable meals. So whether you are dining in or dining out, please your palate with pasta!
As one of the most beloved foods in the world, it is no wonder that everyone claims pasta as their own. While the word pasta is Italian, meaning paste, in reference to the dough, Germany and Hungary have their spätzle. You will find orzo in Greece and pierogis in Poland. Traditional pasta is made from durum wheat, also referred to as semolina, which is simply the flour made from grinding durum wheat. Semolina has a higher protein content than other flours, giving pasta a robust taste and texture. Even though pasta is a type of noodle, not all noodles qualify as varieties of pasta. Unlike pasta, they are made from unleavened dough, usually a mix of a certain type of flour, egg, and water. The dough can be made from a variety of ingredients, like wheat, rice, buckwheat, or other starches. In Asian countries, noodles are a daily staple: from Japanese soba (buckwheat) and udon (wheat flour and water) to Chinese rice vermicelli, bean threads, and egg noodles. Korean noodles often include soybean and sweet potato among other ingredients.
The first reference to boiled pasta is credited to the Arabs. They packed dried pasta for their journeys on the Silk Road to China, making it into a hot, nutritious meal along the way. The Arabs carried it to Sicily during the Arab invasions of the eighth century and were credited for the production of the dried pasta that was made in great quantities in Palermo during this period. The growing of durum wheat was well suited to the dry weather and soil of Sicily. Sea breezes also ensured that the pasta would not dry too slowly and risk becoming moldy, or dry too fast and crack. And, to this day, many old Sicilian recipes still incorporate decidedly Arab touches like raisins and cinnamon. E
Pasta’s colorful past
Do you remember reading about Marco Polo discovering pasta? Well, it’s actually not true. Although Polo did write about eating pasta at the court of Kubla Khan, pasta-centric Italians have found evidence to suggest that ancient Etruscans made pasta as early as 400 BCE. In fact, a basrelief carving found in a cave outside of Rome depicts the utensils used in making pasta. The Romans who followed made lagane, a type of lasagna from dough of flour and water, which they cooked in an oven. 22
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