Origins

The world "pasta" probably takes its origin from the Greek word which means "flour mixed with liquid". Later on it became an italic dish, which the ancient Romans called "lagano". Horacio, in his satires, describes the pleasure of coming back home to eat a good soup made from leeks and lagano. We can learn from the gastronomic handbook that Romans included in some of their recipes cut up pasta to make the food more compact.

On the other hand, the sepulchral room of the etrusc tomb in Cerveteri, called "in the relieves", has a great number of decorations which reproduce domestic tools some of which were used to cook, form and cut pasta. Therefore, fresh pasta was used and appreciated in Italy with different names. For example, in 1400 pasta was called "lasagna" and the pasta makers "lasagnare". In 1800 they changed their name and were called "vermicellai". But between 1400 and 1800 between "lasagne" and "vermicelli", "fidelli" were born, which were pasta threads in a cylindrical form. In this way, pasta makers were also called "fidellai". Finally, many affirm pasta was introduced into Italy for the first time in 1292 by Marco Polo. However, a notarial document from 1279, which is preserved in the Genova file, denied this belief. In fact, it is clearly talking about macaroni, witnessing in this way the existance of pasta in Italy before that period.

Pasta as a good food

Experts in nutrition suggest eating at least 100g of pasta daily because in this way, it provides the body with 14% to 18% of its energetic needs. It has been clinically proved that pasta reduces the colesterol grade in blood and helps the regular work of tiroide. Pasta, moderately spiced, can also be included in slimming diets. In fact, increasing the volume during cooking causes problems in keeping calories to the allowed limits.

Secrets of pasta

To cook pasta well, water must be very abundant at least one litre for every 100g of pasta.

It is better to use kitchen-fatted salt instead of fine salt. The approximate proportion is 7g per litre of water. Pasta has to be introduced into the water at maximum boiling point and mixed immediately. Once water boils again, cooking has to go on without being covered by the saucepan lid.

In the beginning, the fire has to be high. Once pasta is introduced and the water has boiled again, the flame has to be lowered and cooking goes on over a medium fire. Cooking time is calculated from the moment in which water boils again (after pasta is introduced). To make pasta really good, it has to be made "al dente". That is to say, just the necessary time to turn tender again. To know the correct cooking time, the only reliable way consists of tasting, from time to time, a piece of it. After the necessary time for each part, cooking must be immediately stopped, introducing cool water into pan. Finally, pasta has to be changed from pan to colander and from there to the tray.

To control the good quality of the pasta it is necessary to take a little of water from cooking and put it in a glass and look at it against the light. The cleaner the water, the better pasta

Nutritional Information