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There are many myths about the origin of pasta.
Pasta means dough in Italian.
Some historians would have you believe Marco Polo brought it back to Italy on his return from China, or even further back the Etruscans, who baked wheat and egg paste together in an oven. If you go back 3000 years there is evidence of artefacts that look extremely similar to the present day pasta.
It really depends on how you define it.
The Ancient Greeks and Romans used to make flattened dough and roast it on stones or bake it in ovens; this may be the origin of pizza rather than the wonderful pasta we enjoy today.
The first definite record of cooking pasta by boiling comes from the Jerusalem Talmud, written in Arabic in the 5th century, and the word itriyah was used. This in itself makes much more sense, as this was a dried noodle that travelled well. Arabs would probably have carried itriyah with them to their conquest of Sicily.
The Arab geographer, Al Idrisi wrote about a flour-based food, in the shape of strings, and was produced in great quantities in Palermo, which was an Arab colony at the time. Many Sicilian pasta recipes today still include spices and raisins, which is known to have derived from Arab origin.
Many years later, Italians who emigrated around the world, took their own pasta recipes with them, and so the word spread.
By the late 1200 early 1300's pasta was so popular for its nutritional value and long shelf life, which can actually be several years; it was taken on board many a long haul voyage. At this time there would be no marriage of tomatoes and pasta, which came in the 1800's, the first tomato and pasta recipe, was written in 1839.
However the Duke of Buonvicino, who belonged to an ancient noble family, offered a recipe for Vermicelli co le pomodoro. The tomatoes at that time would probably been very pale, hence the name "pomo d'oro" (golden apple) penned by the Sienese botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli.
Some thirty years later, recipes for soups, sauces for veal, chicken, and pasta were offered by La Cuniniera Genovese. Pasta and tomatoes got married, and we've enjoyed their company ever since.
With the abundance of tomato crop, Italians preserve their precious harvest to use in the winter months. Some regions will add garlic and herbs, some will just preserve as a basic passata.
Try this recipe for Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
6 Large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
150ml Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp oregano
3 kg Very ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Use a large frying pan or wok, gently heat the garlic and oregano in the olive oil for a few minutes, until just softened.
Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, season and simmer for about 35 minutes.
Either pour into Mason or Kilner jars while hot, or freeze
Pasta means dough in Italian.
Some historians would have you believe Marco Polo brought it back to Italy on his return from China, or even further back the Etruscans, who baked wheat and egg paste together in an oven. If you go back 3000 years there is evidence of artefacts that look extremely similar to the present day pasta.
It really depends on how you define it.
The Ancient Greeks and Romans used to make flattened dough and roast it on stones or bake it in ovens; this may be the origin of pizza rather than the wonderful pasta we enjoy today.
The first definite record of cooking pasta by boiling comes from the Jerusalem Talmud, written in Arabic in the 5th century, and the word itriyah was used. This in itself makes much more sense, as this was a dried noodle that travelled well. Arabs would probably have carried itriyah with them to their conquest of Sicily.
The Arab geographer, Al Idrisi wrote about a flour-based food, in the shape of strings, and was produced in great quantities in Palermo, which was an Arab colony at the time. Many Sicilian pasta recipes today still include spices and raisins, which is known to have derived from Arab origin.
Many years later, Italians who emigrated around the world, took their own pasta recipes with them, and so the word spread.
By the late 1200 early 1300's pasta was so popular for its nutritional value and long shelf life, which can actually be several years; it was taken on board many a long haul voyage. At this time there would be no marriage of tomatoes and pasta, which came in the 1800's, the first tomato and pasta recipe, was written in 1839.
However the Duke of Buonvicino, who belonged to an ancient noble family, offered a recipe for Vermicelli co le pomodoro. The tomatoes at that time would probably been very pale, hence the name "pomo d'oro" (golden apple) penned by the Sienese botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli.
Some thirty years later, recipes for soups, sauces for veal, chicken, and pasta were offered by La Cuniniera Genovese. Pasta and tomatoes got married, and we've enjoyed their company ever since.
With the abundance of tomato crop, Italians preserve their precious harvest to use in the winter months. Some regions will add garlic and herbs, some will just preserve as a basic passata.
Try this recipe for Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
6 Large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
150ml Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp oregano
3 kg Very ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Use a large frying pan or wok, gently heat the garlic and oregano in the olive oil for a few minutes, until just softened.
Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, season and simmer for about 35 minutes.
Either pour into Mason or Kilner jars while hot, or freeze
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