By Payton Donahue
Pasta: More Than Just a Dish
In America, we indulge in pasta at our nearest Olive Garden, or on lazy nights when we crave an effortless dish. For those in Italy, pasta means much more. To fully understand the importance of pasta, one must understand the cultural differences between pasta and pizza. When you walk the streets of Italy, it may be hard to find a nearby steakhouse, but what you will find is pasta and pizza. In Italy, pizza is a fast and cheap food locals usually eat while out with friends, pasta on the other hand, is a symbol of family. Whether made at home from scratch, or at a restaurant as your first entree, pasta is a family-oriented dish that should never be enjoyed alone.
‘A Tavola non s’invecchia.’ – or in English, ‘At the table, one does not age.’ This saying is one commonly used amongst Italians when sitting down for a shared meal. The dinner table is where important conversations are had and contemplations are expressed, the table’s volume may rise, but no one leaves till the last dish is served. That being said, pasta is one course that is nearly promised at every family meal, with grandmother’s spending hours on Sundays rolling and cutting strands of pasta. Of course, the children gather to observe nonna as she walks them through the mixing, kneading, rolling, and cutting process of making their favorite pasta dishes. Once she is finished, the family rejoice their togetherness with a slow and indulgent meal, using laughter and banter to illuminate their appreciation with each beloved member.
Moreover, Italians view pasta as more than just an easy meal, like me – an American. Pasta, while easy to make using packages and cans of sauce, is a more tedious and symbolic dish used to celebrate those you love in the beautiful country of Italia.
Origins of Pasta in Italy
It is controversial as to how pasta came to be in Italy; while some believe it came from Greek gods, others believe Marco Polo returned from China with the idea, and others believe it came to be from centuries of wheat farmers. Needless to say, pasta has been around for a while. More importantly, pasta is now a symbol of unity and togetherness in Italy, as stated in Mavi Trade: Inspired by Nature’s article on pasta in Italian culture,
“It is more than a food, it is an element of union shared throughout Italy: it is an integral part of life, of popular culture of all Italians, not only their cuisine, but of their very essence. Pasta means tradition, the symbol of Italian cuisine always and forever.”
While we may never know the exact origin of this delicious dish, we do know it’s cultural and political importance. I have already discussed its significance culturally, but there is more to be told.
As discussed in the course book, Why Italians Love to Talk About Food, in the chapter on pasta, in 1860, different Italian delicacies were utilized as an ‘alimentary code’ in place of words during a party attended by Constantino Nigra, Piedmont’s ambassador to Paris, and the Empress Elisabeth’s chamberlain disguised as Cavour. The valued figures sat down at the dinner table, then were brought a variety of foods associated with significant historical situations of the time: Stracchine and Gorgonzola cheeses were used for signifying the annexation of Lombardy, Parmesan for the duchy of Parma, Mortadella of Bologna for Emilia, and a sweet red wine (aleatico) with sweet Sicilian oranges. Then, as the main and last course of the meal, they were served a large plate of Napoleon macaroni. The dish was rejected by the imposter Cavour, with the guest stating, ‘No, that’s enough for today, save the rest for tomorrow.’ As you learn quickly in Italy, it is rude to reject or not finish a full meal, so this rejection was not taken lightly.
As the story states, the visitor was immediately reported by Nigra, where Cavour was found to be a fake chamberlain in order to calm the empress’ allusion that she was willing to cede Sicily, due to their consumption of the wine, but not Naples, with the rejection of the macaroni. Now, there is no real significance to this story, but I feel it truly shows the greater importance of food, and pasta to Italy. Not only does it bring families together, but it can also be used as a form nonverbal communication to express gratitude and appreciation in a political or professional setting.
‘Pasta Tour’
In order to fully capture the magnificence of this important dish, I decided to take a ‘Pasta Tour’ around Italy. For my last seven days in the city of Rome, I found three popular pasta dishes, ones I have noticed on every restaurant menu, and documented my experience with each one. Now, let’s dive in!
Amatriciana
Amatriciana is a traditional Italian pasta dish made with guanciale (similar to America’s bacon), Pecorino Romano cheese, tomato, and onion. Historically, this dish is one of the first pastas made with tomato sauce, dating back to the late 18th century. The first record of the pasta was found in a 1790’s cookbook called ‘L’Apicio Monderno’ written by Roman chef, Francesco Leonardi.
Now that you have some background on the dish, I want to share my experience. Personally, I am not a bacon person – but I can appreciate the flavor guanciale adds to the dish. In America, we stick to beef and sausage in pasta, but I feel Amatriciana would be greatly appreciated in the States, considering the country’s love for bacon. The sauce was light, yet rich with a hint of onion and acidic taste of tomatoes. Cheese is not the center of attention in this dish, so only a small amount should be added to top off the pasta. Overall, this dish reminds me a lot of the pasta found in America, but the quality of fresh Italian spaghetti noodles triumphs over the boiled ones in America, making this traditional pasta dish one for the books.
Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e Pepe is another popular dish I have found on every pasta menu in Rome, this dish is quite self-explanatory – if you speak Italian. The direct translation is ‘cheese and pepper’, which is just what the sauce is. Grated Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper is mixed with spaghetti noodles, or traditional tonnarelli. As for the history, it is told that the recipe for Cacio e Pepe was made centuries ago and was a staple for shepherds. They would spend months herding, and in their pockets they would carry an aged piece of pecorino, pepper, and dried pasta. Using a block of lard and an iron skillet, shepherd would end their long, strenuous days with a comforting dish of Cacio e Pepe.
This dish, while it similar to America’s adored Alfredo in appearance, has a completely different flavor. The aged cheese is rich and sharp compared to the creamy sauce of Alfredo, the pepper too is strong in flavor, creating a ‘dry’ and strong cheese pasta which personally, I feel pairs perfect with a glass of Chianti, or Pino Noir. While I am not a fan of most white sauces, Cacio e Pepe is a simple pasta that I found to be one of my favorites. The flavor is strong, the ingredients are light, making it the best pasta after a long day in the Roman sun.
Carbonara
Another Roman pasta dish, Carbonara, can be found in nearly every pasta shop in Rome. The pasta is covered in an egg sauce made of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cured pork, and black pepper. Now, the history of this pasta is more controversial than the first two, as some people say the dish comes from a Neapolitan recipe called pasta cacio e uova, found in Ippolito Cavalcanti’s 1839 cookbook, others believe the similarities are merely a coincidence. The other origin of this traditional Rome dish is traced back to the liberation of Rome in 1944. They say that American GIs brought rations of eggs and bacon to local restaurants, making Carbonara a necessary addition to restaurant’s limited menus. In the 21st century, Carbonara is not a necessity, but a common craving found in every Roman neighborhood.
From my experience with pasta (and I think I have quite a bit), I have yet to find Carbonara in an American Italian restaurant. That being said, I think adding this dish to the American menu would be quite a hit. The egg creates a thick sauce that evenly coats the noodles, ensuring flavor in every bite, with sharp cheese that adds a boldness to the dish. Then, the bacon gives the dish a savory ‘dinner’ feel. Together, the ingredients create a bold, rich dish perfect for a dinner outing. While this dish is not my favorite, it is one that every person visiting Rome should try at least once in order to get an inside look at Italian pasta culture.
My experience with pasta as an American
While eating pasta has been a great experience, the greatest pasta adventure I have had was on our weekend trip to Florence. After a hot walking day in the heart of Florence, we spent the following Sunday in a mystical vineyard outside the town of Siena. The morning breeze cooled our fresh sunburns, preparing us for the pasta and wine adventure to come. We all sat on a nicely shaded outside patio and listened at the experts explain step by step how to make pasta noodles from scratch:
First, you combine a single egg with a pile of unbleached flour – adding more flour as needed. If the dough is too thick, merely add some olive oil to soften it. Next, kneading the dough is important in ensuring the dough is the correct consistency, folding the dough over itself to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Once your dough is the perfect goo-y consistency, it is time to flatten your noodles. We watched with laughter as the professionals used a dough-roller to literally beat the dough. While amusing to us, they explained that it was an important step in order to remove any bubbles that may have formed while kneading the dough. After this step, they used the same roller to flatten the dough into a 2cm. thick sheet. Next, they cut us strips of dough, and it was our turn. The class gathered around four identical tables with empty trays and strips of pasta dough. We rolled long, thin noodles, pulling lightly on one end and rolling the other. The patio sang with laughter and chatter as all of us students shaped our uneven, doughy noodles, placing them in the empty tray when we were satisfied with our results.
While this experience was for our enjoyment, I was able to feel the sense of community pasta brings to Italy. Before my arrival, I would eat pasta at least three times a week due to the fact that ingredients are cheap, and I only need to find 15 minutes in my day to make it. While I still consider this to be fact, I currently have a newfound appreciation for the dish and the country it is valued in most. Being able to share this pasta-making experience with my temporary family handed me the knowledge of Italian pasta culture. I listened to the decrescendo of bugs as the volume of our engagement increased. I watched as we all showed off our wabbly, misshapen noodles; our friends holding their stomachs with laughter. Listen – I know you may not have been there, but I hope you can feel the euphoria we had while making this cherished dish. This experience taught me more about culture and community than nearly any other part of this trip, and for that I thank everyone involved.
A Ciao for Now:
Now, my experience here in Italy has been more than just pasta, yet I will admit that pasta did have quite an impact. The history and wisdom I have gained is something I plan to carry with me for the rest of my life, and I will admit, I did not expect pasta to be the selling point of Italy for me. I have yet to fully introduce myself, but I feel the ‘goodbye’ is as good of place as any to do so: My name is Payton Donahue; I will be entering my final year at Colorado State University and will soon have a degree in Communication with a minor in Informational Science and Technology. I plan to pursue journalism once I am done in university, and this experience truly solidified that passion. As I was able to have a hands-on experience with a culture completely new to me, I was enchanted by the distinguishing factors that made Italy so different from America. Being able to watch as locals bantered with one another at restaurants, I did not even need to know the language to understand the connection each one had with the other.
As for pasta, there are a few ideologies I will bring back to America with me. Most importantly, I want to practice the sense of community a meal can bring. I currently live alone, so I spend most of my meals alone, alas I know I do not have to. Once back in Colorado, I want to invite those I love to dinner more, spending valuable time with one another, cherishing every word we exchange. I want to fill my life with the laughter and community that can be found in everyday encounters. I came to Italy for its beautiful art and enriched history, but I will be leaving with a new understanding of community, culture, and family that will change my life. Now, with all that said, I say goodbye to Italia.
Till next time, my friend.
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