Pasta types4/30/2023 ![]() What was the first pasta shape and was there a pasta primeval from which all other pastas trace their lineage? Well, it depends on who you ask. This wide, flat sheet is layered with meats, cheeses, sauce and cream, for a luscious casserole of sorts that traces its culinary roots back to Naples in the Middle Ages. Chief among these is the granddaddy of large-sized pasta: lasagna. Then there’s the shapes that seem to have been created specifically for one dish and one dish only. Then there’s the minuscule pastina and acini di pepe, perfect for soul-nourishing, broth-based soups like the noble, yet rustic, Italian Wedding Soup. In fact, each pasta style was shaped with purpose-some prepared for soups, others built for meat sauces, and still others engineered to cradle more delicate sauces in its inviting grooves and folds.įor example, the small, shell-shaped pasta, cavatelli (aka “ gavadeels” in some Italian households), from southern Italy near Calabria, holds chunky sauces in its partially opened crannies, while the broad pappardelle, from the Tuscany region, is strong enough to stand up to hearty meat sauces. ![]() Pasta wasn’t cut into random dimensions simply to show off the cook’s prowess with a set of tools. What’s important is it got there, and today, we are all reaping the benefits. In truth, how pasta made its way to the Bel Paese ("Beautiful Country") is largely irrelevant. This very well might be true, but other theories posit that pasta had been in and around the country long before Polo's voyage east. That tale states the famed explorer took noodles back home to Venice after a harrowing trip to China, and the newfangled food became all the rage, sweeping across Italy. ![]() How pasta first arrived in this culinary epicenter and its many regions is the subject of endless debate, with most recalling the elementary school lesson involving Marco Polo and his travels to the Far East. Those four components come together to spin golden bands and bits that act as the foundation for a dizzying amount of meals, carrying the weight of sauces, meats, and cheeses, sometimes all at once. Made from simple, humble ingredients-typically flour, eggs, salt and water-the end result is pure food alchemy. In Italy, specifically, the count sits around 350, with each featuring unique contours, ridges, diameters and lengths-characteristics that lend themselves to specific sauce applications, all enjoyed by pasta lovers hailing from various corners of the flavor and texture spectrum.Įven more than sauce, it’s pasta that is inextricably linked to Italy. As one digs through various sources for exactly how many pasta shapes are in existence, it quickly becomes clear that the number could easily rank close to 1,000 when different cultures with variations incorporating enriched flour, rice, gluten-free ingredients, whole wheat, etc.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |