The Origin of Pasta
By Paolo A.E. Marzoppino, Italian Cooking And Living, September 2007
The origins of cooking, the art of putting together ingredients with a little imagination and transforming them over a flame, was uncovered by archaeologists and deduced by logic and other findings. This is also relevant for pasta.
We can, however, quickly eliminate some doubts: pasta was not an invention of the Chinese and was not brought to the Mediterranean by Marco Polo. The culture of cooking took shape between Egypt, Turkey and Mesopotamia in an area of land known as the Fertile Cresent around 10,000 years ago. From there it moved to the Orient 8,000 years ago, and then to the Meditteranean around 4,000 years B.C.
Man, at the time, was certainly not a great chef, he did not have much kitchenware or even a true kitchen, but he learned very quickly. As for pasta one can say that the first forms of pasta were similar to gnocchi, made of water and some type of grain, and probably roasted between rocks, or maybe flattened between two rocks. Regardless, pasta began to take many forms. The Etruscans, before the Ancient Romans and Greeks, ate strips of roasted pasta called laganon which they cooked with vegetables. The shaopes were irregular like the pasta of today called maltagliati or poorly cut. Fromt this pasta was certainly born the legane, still called that today in Calabria, and having origins in pasta e ceci, pasta e fagioli, and pappardelle alla Giuda, which is pappardelle cooked with swiss chard or spinach and seasoned with pepper, the best extra-virgin olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. They are also delicious cooked with baby arugula and seasoned with olive oil, pecorino and pepper. Pasta was certainly essential and therefore very rich in fiber and healthy elements; and was always fresh. It is fair to say that the pasta was seasoned with olive oil, because it was already being used 6,000 years ago, and with grated sheep or goat cheese because that was certainly already in use as well.
Dried pasta is an Arab invention, perhaps to facilitate transport, and was produced in Italy since 1000 A.D. In 1200A.D., an Arab reporter from Sicily wrote that dried pasta was produced in Campania both for the Christian and Muslim communities who lived harmlessly in the to regions. At that time pasta was seasoned with butter and diverse spices, like pepper from pasta cacio e pepe, which is still used today. It was pasta pasta seasoned with pecorino, butter and grounded pepper, or with cinnamon. Certainly they used wild herbs, appreciated for their aromatic and helpful qualities, like sage and oregano as well as onions and chives.
In 1300, in Baccaccio’s Decameron, he wrote many times of pasta, almost certainly alluding to ricotta gnocchi seasoned with butter and cheese.
The use of herbs and spices continued until 1700, when tomatoes, imported 200 years earlier from South America, were accepted into the kitchen and some Neapolitan cook thought to utilize them for a sauce.
This gave origins to a real culinary revolution because besides seasoning pasta, tomatoes entered into the preparation of thousands of recipes. But the famous spaghetti al pomodoro arrived much later with the industrialization of pasta production which extremely lowered the price of pasta, making it the daily dish of many people with little means. Only then, and for technical reasons, was born spaghetti with la pommarola ‘n goppa that is, with tomato sauce on top.
Whole-Wheat Maltagliati
4 cups whole-wheat flour, stone ground, plus extra
1 tablespoon salt, plus extra
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
5 sprigs pregano, leaves only pecorino, freshly grated
Mound the flour in a large bowl. Add the salt and mix until well combined. Slowly add water, a little at a time, and the olive oil. Using your fingers or a fork, work the wet ingredients into the dry until a soft dough begins to form. Add more flour or water if necessary. Knead until soft, smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. On a clean flat work surface, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness. Tear or cut the dough in pieces, making sure that each piece is about the same size. Add salt and pasta to the water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the oregano leaves. Toss well to coat and serve immediately with pecorino at the table. Serves 6.
Grilled Pasta with Arugula
4 cups whole-wheat flour, stone ground, plus extra
1 tablespoon salt, plus extra
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 bunch arugula
pecorino, freshly grated
Mound the flour in a large bowl. Add the salt and mix until well combined. Slowly add the water, a little at a time, and the olive oil. Using your fingers or a fork, work the wet ingredients into the dry until a soft dough begins to form. Add more flour or water if necessary. Knead until soft, smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill or a grill pan. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Tear the dough into golf-ball sized pieces and use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball into a 1/4inch thick disk. Add salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and brush each disk with olive oil. Transfer to the grill and cook each side until grill marks form.
Meanwhile, bring a second large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the arugula and cook just until it begins to wilt. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the grilled pasta, drizzle with oliuve oil and toss well to coat. Serve immediately with pecorino at the table. Serves 6.
Pasta and Chickpeas
salt
1 pound fresh tagliatelle, cut into 6-inch pieces, divided
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
11/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, boiled and drained
freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and half of the pasta, and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil, and add the minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, and add the remaining pasta, stirring with a fork. When the pasta is a light golden color, add the chickpeas to the skillet. Slowly add 1/2 cup of hot water, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Drain the boiled pasta, and add to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve immediately. Serves 4
