Interesting Facts About Pasta I Bet You Didn’t Know

Pasta is one of the most famous dishes in Italian cuisine. It has become a staple food not only for the people living in Italy but also for people living all over the globe. While pasta may seem like a basic food item, it is much more interesting than you would expect. Here are some interesting facts about pasta I bet you didn’t know.

Interesting Facts About Pasta I Bet You Didn’t Know

Pasta Was First Eaten in China

We naturally think of pasta as being created in Italy, but the first noted reports of individuals eating pasta came from China, as early as 5,000B.C. Apparently, the famous explorer Marco Polo brought the noodles to Italy back in the 12th century, but records show that the pre-Roman Etruscan civilisation had already been preparing their own pasta back in 500 B.C, smashing the grain with rocks and combining it with water to create dough .

600 Different Shapes

The International Pasta Organization there are more than 600 different shapes of pasta produced all over the globe.

Italians Eat the Most Pasta

It’s no surprise that Italy consumes the maximum amount of pasta.  Venezuela and Tunisia hold second and third place.

How Much Pasta Do Italians Eat?

According to the International Pasta Organization, if Italians consumed their average yearly amount of pasta in the spaghetti shape (rather than the many other assortments of pasta shapes), they would eat approximately 600 million kilometres of spaghetti —  enough noodles to wrap around the Earth 15,000 times!!

Various Meanings of the Word ‘Pasta’

The word ‘pasta’ has its background in Latin and Greek, and it literally means “dough pastry cake” in Latin, and “barley porridge” in Greek. In  Italian, pasta means “paste” owing to the method pasta is prepared, simply by mixing flour and water along with other ingredients, such as olive oil and eggs.

Eating Pasta Makes You Joyful

According to scientists, eating pasta makes you happier! The carbohydrates present in pasta aid the body’s production of serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is believed to trigger feelings of happiness and comfort.

Different Sauces Require Different Pasta

Not all types of pasta are supposed to be relished with all sauces. Flat, long pasta noodles such as fettuccine and linguine are best eaten with creamy sauces, which stick better to that these pasta shapes. Thicker and chunkier tomato sauces pair better with pasta which is tubular, short, or spiral shape, like fusilli and rotini.

Pasta Was Originally Eaten by Hand

Pasta sauces came long after the pasta was invented. Initially, people used to eat pasta with their hands as it was much easier to grab and relish it. However, when sauces were introduced with pasta, particularly tomato sauce, it became messy to eat pasta by hand. So, knives and forks were added to the Italian table later.

Pasta – For Pets?

Pasta has proved to be very advantageous for dogs and cats, as it helps their growth, development and gives them healthy, glossy, and beautiful coats.  That’s why pasta is included in many pet food products. However, while pasta can be good for your pets, it not a good idea to give it to them too often.

The next time you make pasta, I hope you’ll think of these interesting facts. I’ve been experimenting with my  Kent Noodle & Pasta Maker, and found it that it’s easy to make pasta at home from scratch. This noodle and pasta maker lets you prepare not just noodles and pasta but also momos and gujiya  at home in less than 10 minutes. Stay tuned for recipes.

 

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