Pile on the Pasta

Those Chinese did it again. While we consider pasta as a traditional Italian dish, it may have originated from ancient Asian noodles. No one knows for sure, but the credit goes to the merchant and explorer Marco Polo who is responsible for bringing back pasta to Italy in the 13th century. Noodles have been a staple of China for more than 2000 years. It may have been made with rice, but when the Italians adopted the noodles, they began to use plenty of wheat flour to produce their famous spaghetti.

However, historical references may contradict the origin of Asian pasta, as a variety of pasta foods have been cited centuries ago. Include the Greeks, who originally lived in Naples, a region in southern Italy and are thought to have introduced pasta-like foods to the Neapolitans. With the largest Italian producers and processors in the south, it is very likely that the long, thin pasta went north to Rome and other cities. Long before Marco Polo, the first-century Roman poet Horace described the small pieces of dough known as lagana as fried eucalyptus. Many centuries later, the dough was fleshy and was probably made for modern lasagna.

In the sixteenth century, the dried-up version made storage easier, and who knows, perhaps Columbus carried food on his voyage to America, as did many ships that sailed to unknown places. The availability of pasta and its versatility have had a profound effect on Europe, and chefs find it easier to make new dishes. Originally it was eaten by hand, as long as the sauces were used as a accompaniment, the dishes took up valuable space on the dining tables.

So the U.S. When did it get its first taste of pasta? While it originally adorned the tables of the wealthy, in the late 1800's our modern version of spaghetti was captured, first in Italian immigrant restaurants, and then throughout the country as a meal to fill and save families. While some cooks do not serve tomato sauce, various types of pasta could be added to soups or mixed with vegetables.

Believe it or not, Thomas Jefferson is said to have returned the pasta machine to his European tour, while his daughter, a housewife, packed pasta dishes and Parmesan cheese. (Imagine his shock when he learned that mac-and-cheese boxes would eventually fill store shelves.) Later, some fans took Cheddar's place, and it became a popular and favorite American food item. What could be a childhood without mac and cheese?

In the mid-twentieth century, dry corridors were assembled, canned canned products and sauces began to adorn the shelves of supermarkets, and pasta became the basis of American life. Chef Boyardee introduced the kids with pasta and cut off adults from mushy ravioli and Spaghettios.

Pasta lives in all its glory, its endless possibilities and its delicious varieties. So while historians continue to argue, whoever created their humble beginnings, thank you. Add the pasta, whichever way you like.