Whose cuisine is pasta. History of the dish "pasta carbonara". The origin of the recipe, myths and facts. Pasta and pasta

A sauce or a dish of both? We will try to give the answer to this question in this article. We will tell you about the origin of pasta and their triumphant march around the world after the discovery of America and the invention of the spaghetti machine. The very word "pasta" is familiar to Russian people. But the most common clarification to the term immediately comes to mind: dental. The dictionary gives us the definition of "pasta". This is the name of a homogeneous mushy mass of a rather dense consistency, in which the content of solids, ground into powder, exceeds twenty percent. Tooth and tomato paste meet this characteristic. But this is not pasta that has a similar etymology, but nothing more. The term, which later began to denote a flour dish with sauce, appeared in the Renaissance, when Greek chefs were preparing for the Italian patricians. And the etymology of this pasta goes back to the Hellenic word "pastos", which simply means flour sauce. In late Latin, pasta is simply "dough".

Pasta and noodles - who is the winner?

Pasta is that rare case when the name appeared much later than the dish itself. It is believed that the pasta was brought home to Venice by Marco Polo from his travels in China. It was rice noodles, which allegedly served as a model for the wheat counterpart - Italian pasta. The Chinese, as proof of their historical superiority, present a bowl with this petrified dish, found in the tomb of a man who lived four thousand years ago. But it must be said that since the time when people learned to cultivate cereals, such food has been observed in different cultures. At first it was flour mixed with water and dried in the sun. Something similar to spaghetti appears in the images on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. And in the cookbook of the first century AD, we find a recipe for a dish similar to fish lasagna. In medieval Italy, even before Mark Polo, they knew "pasta". The etymology of this word comes from the verb maccare - knead, knead. Eleventh century Martino Corno, who served as chef for a high-ranking Roman prelate, has left us the oldest documented recipe for the dish, now called pasta. It was a dessert where the pasta was boiled in almond milk and seasoned with sweet spices.

Popularity of pasta

This begs a natural question. If pasta products already had a term (pasta), then why did you need to duplicate it and call it “pasta”? Or is it like "bread" and "baked goods"? And most importantly: where does the term that refers us to "a homogeneous, mushy mass of dense consistency" come from? Why is pasta pasta? The answer lies in the sauce. Pasta in Italy is often called products that have a hole inside. Until the nineteenth century, they were considered a delicacy. They were boiled in milk, seasoned with butter, cheese and sweet spices. After the discovery of America, tomatoes appeared on the tables of Europeans. For some time, the fruits of the nightshade culture were treated with caution. But in Sicily, the poor peasants decided to take the risk and, languishing in a pan for a long time with tomatoes, basil and garlic, invented the excellent "salsa di pomodoro". And when Cesare Spadacchini invented the pasta machine (it resembles a meat grinder), pasta became very accessible to the general population.

How does pasta differ from pasta

What we sell under the guise of vermicelli is completely unsuitable for preparing an exquisite flour dish with sauce. After all, pasta is Italian cuisine. And the pasta for the dish should be appropriate. They are made from flour, which is obtained from the grinding of durum wheat grains. Such cereals are ripe in areas with an appropriate Italian climate. When buying pasta, you need to look for the SEMOLA inscription on the label. Products made from such flour will remain a little hard, they will not boil into porridge, and in a colander they will not stick together into one lump. They do not need to be washed - this is nonsense, according to Italian housewives. After all, the cold water will make real pasta too “tight” to taste. Any pasta, unlike our noodles, has microscopic grooves on its surface. This ensures that the sauce adheres to the pasta and does not slide off.

Types of Italian noodles

So, we found out that pasta is both Italian pasta and dishes made from them. Moreover, this category also includes lasagne. Pasta refers to the wide sheets of dough used to make this dish. In the town of Pontedassio, near Genoa, in a special pasta museum, there is a notarial deed dated February 4, 1279, confirming the existence of a dough product at that time. Maybe the Chinese came up with the noodles, but it acquired such a variety of forms only on Italian soil. It seems, what's the difference, will the pasta be straight and thin (spaghetti), curved worms (vermicelli), curved spirals (kawatappi), in the form of butterflies (farfalle) or shells (conquilla)? Italians believe that form is of paramount importance. Each type of pasta has its own sauces. And some are served as a snack, such as cannelloni (large pipes) or conciglioni (huge shells). These types of pasta are stuffed with cheese, spinach or minced meat and baked with a sauce.

Application in Italian cuisine

But to say that pasta \u003d pasta will not be entirely correct. We have already mentioned that lasagna is included in this category. But she is not alone. We can say that all kitchens in the preparation of which boiled dough is involved are called pasta. And this means that the analogue of our dumplings too. In Italy, there are several types of them - also of different shapes and the most incredible fillings. The most common are ravioli, which are square dumplings that contain anything from smoked salmon to chocolate. And then there is a cappeletti, which means "hats", and alolotti. Depending on the size and shape of the pasta, they are used in different dishes. For example, pastes called acini di pepe (peppercorns) and orzo (rice) are added to soups and salads. There are pasta, which are used mainly for casseroles (ziti, cappellini). If we ask an Italian the question: "Is pasta pasta or sauce?", He will find it difficult to answer. There is a tradition of making certain types of noodles with certain gravies. Some pastas are served with creamy sauce, others make exclusively tomato sauce.

Color spectrum

Natural ones have a juicy golden hue. But Italians are a people with endless culinary imagination. For them, pasta is "the art of living beautifully." Therefore, they add various natural dyes to the pasta dough. So, dried and grated tomatoes make red paste, beets - pink, bell peppers or carrots - orange, spinach - green. Anthracite-colored pasta seems especially effective on the table. This is what the cuttlefish ink makes them. Naturally, natural color additives affect the taste of the pasta.

How to cook pasta dish

First, dough products must be cooked. This action must be carried out in parallel with the preparation of the sauce, so that both ingredients of the dish ripen to the table at the same time. So, put a large pot of water on the fire. When it boils, salt and pour in a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Throw in the pasta. We stir with a wooden spoon so that the products do not stick to the bottom of the pan or stick together. We don't break long spaghetti - it's barbaric. Just dip one edge in boiling water, the dough will soften, and everything else will also go under the water. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the products and is usually indicated on the packaging. But you cannot blindly trust what is written. Italians believe that pasta should be boiled until it is al dente. Translated, this means "by the teeth". Here we are trying the fished pasta. If it bites well, but a white dot remains in the middle, then it's done. We discard the pasta in a colander. In no case do we rinse it - this will completely ruin the taste of the dish.

Cooking the sauce

Now let's pay attention to the second component of the dish called "Italian pasta". Recipes sold at home give us about three hundred types of different sauces. But there is one golden rule: the thicker and shorter the pasta, the thicker the gravy should be. Another note: it is customary to sprinkle the finished dish with Parmesan, but the exception is pasta with fish or seafood. As for the sauces, in each region of Italy they are their own, special. In the north of the country, meat and mushrooms are added to the gravy, and on the islands - fish and seafood. Outside Italy, they use about five types of sauces - bolognese, carbonaria ... But the main delight of an authentic gravy for pasta is "pesto a la genovese". Heat olive oil in a frying pan, put basil leaves and half a head of garlic. Then the seasonings that gave off the aroma are removed. Mediterranean pine nuts and sheep cheese cut into pieces are immersed in butter.

How Italian pasta is served

Recipes (at home, as we can see, it is quite possible to make such a dish yourself) stipulate that both ingredients of the dish - pasta and sauce - must be cooked at the same time. If the gravy is complex and requires a long thermal treatment (for example, with mushrooms), then it should be done earlier. By the way, this gravy is ideal for penne (feathers) - cut diagonally and short pasta. Heat the olive oil (50 g) and fry for five minutes one hundred grams of porcini mushrooms or champignons, cut into pieces. Pour in a quarter glass of white wine and 150 ml of cream. Salt and pepper the sauce. It is better to warm the plate. We put pasta in it. Pour the sauce on top. Next we put grated parmesan for sprinkling.

Durum wheat pasta is suitable for making classic pasta. The pasta can be supplemented with delicious and aromatic sauces.

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The traditional carbonara sauce is made from pancetta or guanciale, as well as the aromatic pecorino romano cheese made from sheep's milk. In our area, meat products can be replaced with fatty bacon, and Italian cheese - with parmesan. And remember: no cream in carbonar!

Ingredients

• 450 g spaghetti;
• salt to taste;
• 200 g bacon;
• 100 g of finely grated Parmesan;

Preparation

Boil spaghetti in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small strips and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Whisk the egg yolks and combine with half the grated cheese and a pinch of pepper.

Discard the spaghetti in a colander and leave about a glass of water in which they were cooked. Place them immediately in the skillet with bacon, stir and remove from heat. Add some spaghetti water, season with pepper, and stir in the egg sauce. Stir well and add more water if necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.

Place the pasta on a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

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Tomato-meat bolognese sauce is probably known all over the world. Most often it is paired with spaghetti, but it will perfectly complement other types of pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 carrot;
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 onion;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• a few sprigs of rosemary;
• 200 g minced pork;
• 200 g ground beef;
• 500 g of tomatoes in their own juice;
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste;
• 100 ml of red wine;
• salt to taste;
• a few sprigs of basil;
• 500 g spaghetti;
• some grated parmesan.

Preparation

Cut the vegetables into small cubes and chop the rosemary. Fry these ingredients in hot oil until the vegetables are tender.

Place in another pan and fry until golden brown. Add vegetables, tomatoes, tomato paste and wine to the meat. Stir, season with spices and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cook for another 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped basil and stir.

Boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Drain, place the pasta on a platter, top with the bolognese sauce and garnish with basil leaves and grated cheese.

3. Fettuccine Alfredo

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In the classic version, the pasta is mixed only with the most delicate creamy sauce, which is made from just three ingredients. Later, the sauce began to be made more creamy and they began to add mushrooms or shrimp to it.

Ingredients

• 250 g fettuccine;
• salt to taste;
• 50 g butter;
• 100 ml of cream - optional;
• 100 g of grated parmesan;
• ground black pepper to taste.

Preparation

Boil fettuccine in salted water until al dente according to the instructions on the package. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and then remove from heat.

For a creamy sauce, add the cream to the butter. Do not remove from heat until pasta is done and stir constantly.

Use your cooking tongs to place the fettuccine in a saucepan. The paste should not be dry, so do not try to shake off all the liquid from it. Turn on medium heat and stir the paste. Add half of the cheese and stir again very well. If necessary, add some more water, in which the fettuccine was boiled. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and stir again.

Place the pasta on a serving dish and sprinkle with ground pepper.

4. Pasta with chicken and broccoli in a creamy sauce

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts;
• salt to taste;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• 350 g farfalle (butterfly-shaped paste);
• 1 head of broccoli;
• 240 ml of milk;
• 50 g grated Parmesan;
• 180 g;
• 3 cloves of garlic.

Preparation

Heat oil over medium heat. Place the chicken breasts in a skillet, season with spices and cook for 8 minutes on each side until golden brown. Cool slightly and cut into small pieces.

Place the farfalle in boiling salted water. Place the broccoli blossoms in a saucepan 2 minutes before they cook al dente. Then drain the water.

In a saucepan, combine milk, parmesan, cream cheese, minced garlic and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Place the farfalle, broccoli and chicken in the sauce and mix well.

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To prepare this paste, you can use both fresh tomatoes and tomatoes in your own juice. And in addition to basil, you can take spinach, arugula or green peas.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of basil
• 1 onion;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 kg of ripe tomatoes or 800 g of tomatoes in their own juice;
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
• salt to taste;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• 500 g spaghetti;
• some grated parmesan.

Preparation

Chop the stems and leaves of the basil separately, leaving a few leaves for garnish. Chop onion and garlic finely. Peel the tomatoes and cut into small cubes. As for tomatoes in their own juice, sometimes they are made chopped, so you don't have to chop them.

Heat oil over medium heat and sauté the onions in it for about 7 minutes, until softened and browned. Arrange the garlic and basil stalks. After a couple of minutes, add the tomatoes and vinegar, season with spices and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add basil leaves and reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, boil in salted water until al dente. Drain the water into a separate container, put the spaghetti in the tomato sauce and stir well. If the pasta is dry, add a little spaghetti water.

Place the pasta on a platter, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil leaves.

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Choose any mushrooms of your choice: champignons, porcini or any others.

Ingredients

• 300 g of curly paste;
• salt to taste;
• 2 tablespoons of butter;
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 600 g of mushrooms;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• 150 g spinach;
• 1 lemon;
• some grated parmesan;
• a few sprigs of parsley.

Ingredients

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente according to the instructions. Drain off the water, leaving one glass of liquid for later.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook it, stirring constantly, until slightly brown. Remove from heat. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped ones. Toast, stirring occasionally, until browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to the mushrooms, half the chopped spinach, and ¼ cup pasta water. Stir and cook until spinach is lightly boiled. Add the remaining spinach and cook for a few more minutes. If the paste seems a little dry, add more water.

Then add the butter, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the zest of a whole lemon. Toss, place on a serving dish and sprinkle with cheese and chopped parsley.

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Primavera pasta is good for summer with fresh seasonal vegetables available in the kitchen.

Ingredients

• 200 g fusilli (spiral-shaped paste);
• salt to taste;
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot;
• ½ red onion;
• 1 zucchini;
• ½ eggplant;
• ½ Bulgarian;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 100 g tomato paste;
• 1 teaspoon of Italian herbs seasoning;
• a few cherry tomatoes;
• a few basil leaves;
• some grated parmesan.

Preparation

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.

Heat oil over medium heat and sauté carrots, cut into small strips, and half rings of onions for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and eggplant cubes and the pepper strips. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Season with salt, add chopped garlic, stir well and remove from heat.

Add tomato paste, seasoning and some pasta water. Then add cooked pasta, halved tomatoes and chopped basil.

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This pasta turns out to be very tasty and aromatic. King prawns are best for her.

Ingredients

• 200 g linguini or spaghetti;
• salt to taste;
• 25 g butter;
• 200 g of peeled shrimp;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 100 ml of white wine;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ bunch of parsley.

Preparation

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. In the meantime, melt half of the butter over medium heat and saute on it until lightly browned on both sides. Add chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

Pour in the wine, stir and bring to a boil. Add remaining butter, spices, lemon juice and chopped parsley. Remove from heat, add paste and stir well.

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Alla norma flavored pasta is very popular in Sicily. It is cooked with and tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants;
• salt to taste;
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 1 bunch of basil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 800 g of tomatoes in their own juice;
• 500 g spaghetti;
• some grated parmesan.

Preparation

Cut the eggplants into small cubes, sprinkle with salt and leave for 20 minutes to release the bitterness. Then rinse them and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine eggplant with oregano, salt, pepper and half of olive oil.

Heat the remaining oil over medium heat and fry the eggplant in portions. Cook them for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften and lightly brown. Add chopped garlic and chopped basil stalks and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add vinegar and tomatoes, chop them with a spatula and simmer for 15–20 minutes over low heat. Peeled fresh tomatoes can also be used, but will take longer to cook. The sauce should be thick enough.

Boil the spaghetti al dente in salted water. Drain the liquid into a separate container and add a little to the sauce along with chopped basil leaves. Place the spaghetti in the sauce, stir and add more water if needed.

Place the pasta on a serving plate and sprinkle with cheese.

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This is another classic Italian dish with capers, anchovies and chili. The pasta turns out to be hearty, spicy and incredibly aromatic.

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti;
• salt to taste;
• a few tablespoons of olive oil;
• 4 cloves;
• 2 red chili peppers
• 3 anchovy fillets;
• 100 g olives;
• 100 g capers;
• 200 g ripe cherry tomatoes;
• ½ bunch of basil;
• some grated parmesan.

Preparation

Boil the spaghetti al dente in salted water. Heat oil over medium heat and add chopped garlic, thin strips of chili, finely chopped anchovy fillets, olives and chopped capers. Fry for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cut in half and some spaghetti water. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften. Place the pasta and basil leaves in the sauce. Stir and salt.

Place the pasta on a serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

It is known all over the world and absolutely everyone loves it. Average in Italy annually produce 3 million tons of pasta, and each Italian consumes about 28 kg per year. It is an integral part of culture, not just cuisine. So, italian pasta became one of the two most popular dishes at Expo 2015 in Milan.

From bran or durum wheat, fresh or egg-based - this product has conquered the whole world. Its roots go very deep. The pasta has been known since times of Greater Greece and ancient China.Of course, it differed from the modern one, including in the preparation technology.

Want to know more about the history of pasta, as well as the most famous and common types of pasta? Read below!

The roots of pasta, like pizza, are very deep. Before becoming a world famous dish, about 7000 years ago people abandoned the nomadic way of life and began to found small settlements and cultivate the land. A grain was opened, which could be ground and mixed with water to knead the dough. It was used to make flat cakes, which were cooked on hot stones - a prehistoric type of lasagna.

The fact that Marco Polo brought spaghetti from China is a myth. In fact, it's worth thanks arabs - it was they who brought pasta during their conquests on Sicily.Spaghetti quickly spread across the island. The dry and windy climate favored pasta production. By going to Naples, she became popular. The word pasta itself is of Neapolitan origin.

Names

SPAGHETTI

Spaghetti appeared in 1842 in Naples and were named so because they resembled pieces of string, rope. Initially, they were 50 cm long, then 25 cm.

TAGLIATELLE

The name comes from the verb tagliare - to cut. Thin flat strips of egg paste about 5 mm wide.

FETTUCCINE

They look like tagliatelle, derived from the noun "fettuccia" - braid. Their width is about 7 mm.

VERMICELLI

They were originally shorter than they are now, and really looked like worms.

FEATHERS (PENNE)

They are shaped like writing pens.

RIGATONI

They are called so because of the stripes covering the pasta, thanks to which it can absorb the maximum amount of sauce.

FUSILLI

From the word "fuso" - a spindle, because they really look like it.

CAPELLINI

Thin as hairs, hence the name.

BUCATINI

They are called so because they are thick spaghetti with a hole in the middle.

BUTTERFLIES (FARFALLE)

They look like butterflies.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CHITARRA (SPAGHETTI "GUITAR") OR TONNARELLI

In Abruzzo, pasta is prepared with a device called a guitar. It consists of a board and many thin steel threads - thus it looks like this musical instrument.

LASAGNE

From the Latin word "lagana" meaning strips of dough boiled in oil.

REGINETTE, OR PASTA MARGHERITA

Named after Queen Margaret of Savoy, flat in the middle and thickened at the edges - like a crown.

PAPPARDELLE

“Pappare” in Italian means to eat a lot. Perhaps it comes from the children's "pappa", when babies still cannot pronounce the word "pasta".

CANNELLONI

They resemble tubes in shape.

DZITI (ZITI)

Comes from the southern word "zita" - a married woman, a bride, as they were prepared for a woman's wedding.

CONCHIGLIE

Shaped like seashells.

ORECCHIETTE

The pasta is prepared by cutting it into small pieces and squeezing it lightly with your finger - it looks like an ear.

DUMPLINGS (STROZZAPRETI)

The origin of the name is not exactly known. One of the legends says that they were prepared by a woman for a local priest, who later hanged himself. Another version is that the pasta is shaped like a hangman's loop.

HITCHES (DITALI)

It resembles a thimble in shape.

TORTELLINI

It comes from the word cake.

RAVIOLI

Where the name came from is unknown. Perhaps - from the Genoese word ravièu - teeth or the medieval "rabiola" - small turnip. The third version is from the North Italian "robiola" - goat cheese.

Gnocchi (GNOCCHI)

From Venetian “gnòco” - convex. Prepared from flour, eggs and potatoes.

Could you imagine such a variety of pasta? No? In my mind italian pasta was also the only dish until I moved to Italy. Now I can say with complete confidence that a lifetime is not enough to cook all kinds of pasta dishes! And what italian pasta do you like? Be sure to try making the pasta yourself, it's not as difficult as it might seem, especially if you have it on hand.

The origin of the pasta is interesting not only for the historical facts associated with it, but also for the many legends and myths that cover this product. Italy, as the trendsetter in pasta today, as well as the largest manufacturer and "eater" of this product, insists that pasta is an original Italian invention.

One of the widespread alternative versions of the origin of the pasta is its importation from China by the famous traveler Marco Polo in 1292, which has been documented. Nevertheless, the Italians claim that Marco Polo only shared with his contemporaries on his return from the Far East the observation that "it turns out that the Chinese also eat noodles and pasta."

In confirmation of the earlier, or, at least, the independent appearance of "the most Italian food" precisely on the territory of modern Italy, quotations from Cicero and Horace are cited - the great ancient Roman poets who praised various dishes made of flour and water, boiled in salted sea water. The culinary books of a certain Appicius, who lived during the time of Emperor Tiberius in the first century AD, were found, which describe dishes reminiscent of modern lasagne. And in 1000 AD the chef of the powerful patriarch of Aquileia, a certain Martino Corno, had already written a book "On the culinary art of making Sicilian pasta."

And although the controversy among culinary experts and historians still does not subside, one thing is certain: already in the XII century, pasta began to spread throughout Europe from the coast of Italy. Its spread, at first slow, then more and more victorious, is accompanied by the following major milestones:

• XII century - it is reliably known about the production of pasta on the island of Sicily, not without the participation of the Arabs who lived there

• XIII century- drying the paste in the sun, which allows it to be stored for 2-3 years and used in large quantities as food on sea vessels. Pasta is brought to Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Naples and other maritime city-states. In each of them, local varieties of pasta begin to appear.

• XV century - the first recipe for lasagna is recorded, long and hollow pasta is mentioned. Until the sixteenth century, pasta was not the most eaten food among the poor. Since durum wheat was only grown in Sicily and Apulia at the time, pasta was not the cheapest food.

• XVI century - XVII century - Tomatoes are imported to Europe from America. This is becoming a real gastronomic revolution. Durum wheat cultivation is spreading throughout southern Italy. Machines for making pasta were invented and widely used: presses, cutters and dryers. Thus, the paste becomes cheaper and more and more spread.

• In the XVIII - XIXfor centuries, with the development and improvement of technology, pasta is gaining almost the same popularity in Italy, which it still enjoys today.

At the same time, pasta began to spread widely in Europe and America and became one of the most

September 30, 2018

Pasta is the basis for the preparation of many dishes of the Italian national cuisine, which is popular all over the world. Italian pasta is a generic name for pasta that includes many varieties, classified by shape, size, and the ingredients of which they are made.

The history of a national product such as pasta has been shaped over many centuries. In each region of Italy, its variety and methods of preparation are different; northern and southern cuisine can differ significantly.

Greater Greece (lat.Magna Graecia)

- a historical region that existed in the VIII-VII centuries BC, which included the territories of the southern part of modern Italy. It included the Greek colonies located in Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Apulia.

Etruria(lat.Hetruria)

- a historical area that belonged to the most ancient civilization - the Etruscans. It was located in the central and northwestern part of the Apennine Peninsula in the XII-VI centuries BC.

Pasta has been known since antiquity, when Sicily and the southern part of the Apennine Peninsula were inhabited by ancient Greek colonies, and the territories of central and northern Italy by Etruscans. However, in those days, the currently popular gastronomic product was called differently. For example, the Etruscan word "Makària", which in a slightly modified form later entered the Latin language, is still used and corresponds to the modern "Maccari", common in Sicily and in some southern provinces. From him also came "Maccaruni-maccaroni"used in Italian dialects. Another word of Greek origin "Làganon" denoted a product made from dough based on flour and water, rolled out and cut into strips. Presumably it was from this word that the name of the famous Italian dish "lasagna" came from.

During excavations carried out in the central part of Italy - in Lazio, on one of the tombs dated to the 10th century BC, a bas-relief was found showing some of the tools and devices that Italian signors still use to make homemade pasta. For example, a board for rolling out dough, a rolling pin, a wheel for slicing spaghetti, etc.

In some works of ancient authors, Greek and Latin names were repeatedly encountered, such as "Làganon" and "Laganum", used to refer to thin dough, rolled out and cut into long strips, made from flour and water. The first cookery book, written by the "philosopher of gastronomy" Marco Gavio Apicho, talks about the many detailed recipes for making pasta dough and spices, indicating the widespread use of this dish in the first half of the 1st century AD.

The word "pasta", which has a more general meaning, comes from the Greek "Pàsta-ein", which means "flour with sauce or seasoning". This name of pasta in a modern sound began to be used in Italy approximately from the X-XI century. However, if you delve into the history of the origin of this word, then you can reach the period of deep antiquity, when people just learned how to grind grain and master the first steps in cooking.