This preferred method for cooking and consuming pasta became ubiquitous in Italy by the 19 th century. As a result, the practice of cooking pasta for minutes was born – with people in Naples preferring the firm toothiness of quick-cooked pasta. In the tradition of quintessential street food, the meal must be quick and filling. Pasta grew in popularity on Neapolitan street corners and was common in the rest of Italy. Modern Pasta Methodsīy the 18 th century, the production of pasta had become mechanized.
The production of semolina (durum wheat) pasta was headquartered in Naples, with its climate ideal for drying noodles. The dry pasta is served with a light amount of sauce or in soups and stews. During the medieval times, pastas were made from fermented doughs and served moist and soft with cheeses or wrapped around fillings.Ĭoming out of the medieval period, cooks in southern Italy began the practice that we recognize today known as pastasciutta – dry pasta – featured as the main component of a dish. In the 9 th century, Syrian texts name the preparation of semolina dough shaped into strings and dried as “itriya,” while in 11 th century Paris, they were called “little worms.” In the 13 th century, the term “macaroni” appeared and was applied to all different shapes – not just the curved elbows we know today. Pasta can be traced back to the very early centuries of our ancestors, as early as the 6 th century. But where did it come from, and when did it become the preference? To answer this question, we’ll have to travel back in time.
Tomatoes: A Taste of Summer - July 26, 2017.