History Of Pasta
Author: Jessica Ackerman

When most people talk about pasta, they probably think of Italy
as its birth place. Historians would disagree however, and
give credit to our neighbors in the east for inventing the
earliest form of this much loved food.

It was around 1700 B.C. when the Chinese came up with a
noodle made from rice flour. While not a popular theory with
those who insist on giving credit to the Italians, the Chinese
do get the vote from most historians.

That doesn't mean that the Italians were not major players
in the evolution of pasta as we know it. Around 400 B.C. the
Etruscans, who live in an area in the western part of Italy,
made a noodle similar to lasagna. This noodle was made from
spelt, a grain from which wheat has evolved.

Much later the Romans are credited with making a noodle
similar to the one made by the Etruscans, out of flour and
water. These noodles, like the earlier versions by the Chinese,
were prepared by baking in an oven.

Boiled noodles came later and the Italians don't get
credit for inventing these either. Instead, we can thank Arab
traders who would bring dried noodles along on their very long
trips to the Orient. Who doesn't want a hot meal while
traveling? The Arabs did, and they realized that this dried
pasta along with a little boiling water was a quick, hot and
easy to carry meal.

The Arabs brought this food with them to Sicily during
the 8th century invasions. Before too long the Italian city of
Palermo was producing huge quantities of dried pasta. So, can
we give Italians the credit for mass producing pasta? Much to
the delight of the Italians, most historians would say, yes.

Specifically, Naples gets the credit for the invention of
techniques that allowed dried pasta to be produced en masse in
1600's. This pasta, which could last long time, is credited
with bringing Naples out of an economic depression. No wonder
Italians love their pasta!

This pasta was often sold by street vendors and was eaten
with the bare hands. If you're thinking the sauce must have
made quite a mess then you're jumping ahead in the story.
Pasta at this time was eaten either plain or sprinkled with
cheese. It's not until a couple of centuries later that sauce
is introduced.

The first written record of a tomato sauce recipe is
1839. Soon pasta was becoming popular all over the country of
Italy, and pastas of various shapes were being introduced.
Still, even with its popularity, pasta was being made by small
family businesses. Spaghetti, macaroni and vermicelli were
being handmade by those specially trained in the art of pasta
making.

The Agnese family changed all of that in 1824 when they
opened the very first pasta factory in Northern Italy. It's
easy to see why Italians get the credit for this favorite food,
and in the United States a wave of Italian immigration would
help the cement the idea that pasta was an Italian food.

Even though Thomas Jefferson had brought pasta to America
as early as the late 1700's, the food didn't become widely
popular in the country until 1880-1900 when large numbers of
Italian immigrants came to America, bringing pasta with them.

The next several years would bring even more advances for
pasta such as the addition of meatballs and later, thanks to the
Franco-American company, canned pasta.

Pasta has a place in American history as well. In the
1920's farmers used pasta as a marketing campaign for wheat.
During the depression, the inexpensive and filling dish became a
staple in many households.

Today, pasta is as popular as ever. In tiny sidewalk
cafes to the fanciest of gourmet restaurants, you are sure to
find a few pasta dishes on the menu. Whether you choose to
thank the Italians for this delicious food or their eastern
neighbors, we can all agree that our dinner tables wouldn't be
the same without this fabulous food.


About The Author: Jessica Ackerman is a popular contributor for
http://www.padrinospizzaandpasta.com