How much do you know about the history of pasta?
Ah, pasta…. A versatile, quintessential Italian food, and the delicious inspiration for our name. Pasta is a huge part of Italian cuisine, but many Americans who enjoy it so frequently don’t know the slightest bit about its history or how it’s made. We’d like to remedy that — so sit back and enjoy a brief history of pasta!
The History of Pasta
Pasta has a wide variety of personalities all over the world. From spaetzel in Germany, to orzo in Greece, to rice and egg noodles in Asian cuisine, some variety of pasta exists in so many different cultures. But where did it all start?
When we think of the history of pasta, we think of Italian food. There’s a contradictory myth that Marco Polo brought the idea of noodles to Italy from China in the 13th century, but scholarly research has shown that pasta was already being made in Sicily before then. As for its introduction to America, early Spanish settlers were the ones to bring it over, but Thomas Jefferson was responsible for its boom in popularity. After enjoying a pasta dish in Paris in the late 1700s, he brought a bunch of it back, and continued to have more shipped over, to enjoy and serve to guests once he was elected President. In the 19th century, when a large wave of Italian immigrants came to America, pasta was solidified as a staple in American-Italian cuisine.
In an article on PBS’ “The History Kitchen,” author Tori Avey notes that one of the greatest things about pasta is its timelessness and consistency. She notes: “When we eat pasta, we can be assured of the likelihood that our ancestors, and our ancestors’ ancestors, ate something similar. Pasta, with its long, multicultural history, is a culinary connection to our past.”
At Basta Pasta, we’re proud to continue the culinary history of pasta by serving it up in delicious Italian dishes in a classic and comfortable Italian restaurant environment. We hope to do Italy proud with our culinary creations. Pasta is more than just tasty — it’s a piece of history.
Grab a Bite of History at Basta Pasta!
In 2004, Basta Pasta opened its doors to the public, and ever since has maintained the image and experience of casual Italian dining. In addition to fresh, delicious ingredients and recipes, the restaurant strives to uphold expert, attentive, and cordial service for its customers. Our Timonium location also features plenty of rooms for private parties and events. Enjoy a taste of Italy with hearty pasta dishes, endless salad and breadsticks, and fine wines right here in your hometown. For more information, visit our website.
Want to learn more about our wine selection? Need to get in touch with one of our locations? Here is some basic contact information for both:
- Timonium Location- 60 W Timonium Road
- 410-308-0838
- Online Contact Page
- Fallston Location- 2745 Fallston Road
- 410-692-5200
- Online Contact Page
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