There is archeological evidence for the existence of pasta in the Etruscan civilization, which flourished in the regions we now call Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. A bas-relief unearthed in an Etruscan tomb depicts tools and kitchen utensils used to roll and form pasta very similar to those still in use today.
Noodles existed in China and Asia long before pasta appeared in the Mediterranean world, and the legend goes that Marco Polo brought pasta to Italy from China in the 13th century. Apparently, there are passages in The Travels of Marco Polo (by Marco Polo, of course) that refer to “pasta-like dishes.”
Archaeologists believe that central Asia is most likely the first area to have produced noodles thousands of years ago. From Asia, it traveled westward. The way it reached Europe is unclear, though there are many theories—some believe that nomadic Arabs are responsible for bringing early forms of pasta westward.
Origins. Although popular legend claims Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of the Far East in the late 13th century, pasta can be traced back as far as the 4th century B.C., where an Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making what appears to be pasta.
The Italian meal structure, as we know it today, only came to be when pasta entered the households of every Italian family on a daily basis. Before then – from Ancient Rome all the way to the 20th century – meals mostly consisted of an antipasto, a secondo (prima mensa for the Romans) and dolce.
They didn't have pizza, pasta, tomatoes or lemons, and garlic was only used medicinally. Today we gape at some of the foods that the ancient Romans ate, foods that now seem quite bizarre to many of us, including fried dormice, flamingo tongue (and peacock and nightingale tongues) and more.
The primo (first course) is usually a filling dish such as risotto or pasta, with sauces made from meat, vegetables, or seafood. Whole pieces of meat such as sausages, meatballs, and poultry are eaten in the secondo (second course).
Italian cuisine is synonymous with pasta, and it's the heart of their culinary culture. From north to south, Italy boasts a vast array of pasta shapes and recipes. The average Italian consumes a whopping 23 kilograms of pasta annually, making it the highest per capita consumption in the world.
But modern pizza, the flatbreads with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings, was born along the western coast of Italy, in the city of Naples. Naples too has a long history, dating back to 600 B.C. when the Greeks first settled it. Over time, Naples became a thriving city on the water.
Testaroli has been described as "the earliest recorded pasta". It is also a native dish of the southern Liguria and northern Tuscany regions of Italy. Testaroli is prepared from a batter that is cooked on a hot flat surface, after which it may be consumed.
Marco Polo did not introduce pasta to Europe. He didn't write about it, and pasta, or at least pasta-like dishes, considerably predate Polo in Italy to say nothing of the rest of the Mediterranean world.
The word 'pasta' is an Italian word meaning 'paste', referring to the paste that pasta dough is made from with egg or water and flour. However, before Italian pasta as we know of, was all over the world, pasta was called 'maccaronaro'.
Pasta is easy and cheap to make, and many different sauces are born from just a handful of ingredients, like pasta carbonara or pasta amatriciana. With just a few ingredients, Italians can create an affordable and delicious meal that can provide nutritional value and sustenance. Diversity.
Pizza was first invented in Naples, Italy as a fast, affordable, tasty meal for working-class Neapolitans on the go. While we all know and love these slices of today, pizza actually didn't gain mass appeal until the 1940s, when immigrating Italians brought their classic slices to the United States.
Italians developed and perfected their style of pizza making, but they were not the only culture that appreciated the ease and deliciousness of the dish. Some people even credit the Chinese with the invention, but the Greeks (and others) also had a role. The Greeks baked a flatbread known as plakous in mud ovens.
The first reference to the existence of pasta seems to come from Greece around 1.000 BC where the word “laganon”, which was found in texts of that time, described the wide dough of water and flour which was cut into strips as is done today with the “Matsata” of Folegandros.
But the modern birthplace of pizza is southwestern Italy's Campania region, home to the city of Naples. Founded around 600 B.C. as a Greek settlement, Naples in the 1700s and early 1800s was a thriving waterfront city. Technically an independent kingdom, it was notorious for its throngs of working poor, or lazzaroni.
It's widely speculated that pizza came from the Greek word “pitta,” which means “pie” ; however some historians believe that pizza came from the Langobardic word “bizzo,” which means “bite.”
The foundations for Pizza were originally laid by the early Greeks who first baked large, round and flat breads which they “annointed with oil, herbs, spices and Dates.”
In traditional diets, you might find fewer instances of pasta consumption in countries like China, where noodles are more common, or in some African countries where staple foods like rice, maize, or plantains are more prevalent.
China. China has the distinction of being the world's biggest producer and consumer of rice on an annual basis. Rice consumption behaviour varies across different regions of China.
Spaghetti is the most popular of all the pasta types. It is the favorite of many, especially kids. Indeed, this is one of the most frequently cooked pasta worldwide. It is also usually available in most restaurants.
Italians believe we are to cook and eat pasta while retaining the shape in which it was created. This means not breaking the uncooked pasta before putting it in the pot and not cutting up a plate of cooked pasta with a knife. While this is not illegal, it is certainly in bad taste.
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, healthy fats, mainly olive oil, and decreased dairy and red meat intake. You're probably used to dipping bread in olive oil at Italian, or even American, restaurants.
A typical dinner at an Italian home is usually pasta, meat, and vegetables, and takes place around 8 p.m. Going out for dinner in Italy is a pretty big thing to do, or eat, for that matter: Several courses, wine, and a long time chatting and lingering are all part of the event.
