Heather Berchtold

“Nothing says ‘Italian Food’ like Pasta”

Italy is known for its food, especially pasta!

First reference in Sicily as an ideal staple in 1154, however then spread into the mainland

Wherever Italians immigrated, they brought their pasta along, therefore it quickly became a staple of international cuisine to this day

Pasta is a term for foods made from dough of wheat or buckwheat flour and water.

two main groups – fresh and dried

Pasta has an older pedigree in history compared to pizza and tomato gravy

1300s – dried pasta became very popular for its wheat grains and long shelf life Ideal for long ship voyages

Pasta was known around the world from “discovery voyages” about a century later

By that time, different shapes and sizes appeared along with new technology, which made pasta easier to make

With these inventions, pasta truly became part of the Italian lifestyle

Pasta Meets Tomatoes

19th century

Tomatoes were brought back to Europe after their discovery in the New World However, it took an extensive time for the plant to be considered

edible

FUN FACT: rumors of tomatoes being poisonous continued in part of Europe and some of its colonies until the end of the 19th century

1839 – first pasta recipe with tomatoes was documented

Pasta Today

Estimated that Italians eat over 60 pounds of pasta per person, per year.

In comparison, Americans eat about 20 pounds of pasta per person, per year.

The love of pasta in Italy outweighs the wheat production within the country

Italy must import most of the wheat it uses for pasta

Dried Pasta Dry pasta is made from durum wheat

flour or durum wheat semolina which has high levels of gluten, giving it the yellow color and an easier dough to work with.

Dried pasta is shaped in a variety of ways to fit various types of sauces.

Thin and long pasta is made for oily, and more liquid sauces

More complicated shapes are better for thicker, chunkier sauces

350 differet shapes and varieteies of dried pasta in Italy

By Italian law, dried pasta must be made with 100% durum semolina flour and water

Fresh Pasta

• All pasta basically starts out as fresh pasta, but some are prepared to be eaten "soft"

• Made with different ingredients than dried pastas to some extent

• Northern regions of Italy: use all-purpose flour and eggs

• Southern Italy: made from semolina and water

• Fresh pasta is often served with a cream sauce or very simple sauce complete with butter and sage

• light tomato sauces are saved for summer months

• Throughout Italy, being served fresh homemade pasta is a real treat since it is guaranteed that it was made that day and will have a taste unlike any other pasta

Gnocchi,aka Italian Dumplings

• In the family-run Trattorias of Rome, some of the best gnocchi is served every Thursday night in a citywide tradition.

• Florence is home to gnocchi so good, that it is known for priests choking from eating too fast

Pesto Caprese GnocchiIngredients

•2 packages (1 lb. each) gnocchi•1 pint grape tomatoes, halved•8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls•4 oz. prosciutto•¾ c. pesto•¼ c. pine nuts

Instructions

•Prepare gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain.•Combine cooked gnocchi with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, pesto and pine nuts.•Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

MANGIA, MANGIA!

Italian pasta enthusiasts organized a World Pasta Conference in 1995

They have celebrated World Pasta Day since 1998, which is held every year in October

Italian Pasta Association and a Pasta Museum in Rome