Let's celebrate the most versatile and delicious Italian dish. Don't' forget to post #NationalPastaDay on your social media
A special day to celebrate the queen of Italian cuisine
It would be really redundant to celebrate a "Pasta Day" in Italy; we eat so much of it that it doesn't take a special day to remind us how delicious and appetizing a nice plate of pasta is. For every single Italian, pasta is perfect just about any lunch or dinner! Remember, the average Italian person eats more than 51 pounds of pasta every year. Why is the pasta so perfect? Because it is a "generous" dish, meaning anyone is capable of cooking themselves a nice plate of pasta! You don't have to be a great cook or have an extraordinary experience in the kitchen. Additionally, pasta can be really cheap and highly affordable. And this is an added value.
Fun facts about pasta
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson introduced pasta to the US in 1789 after first tasting it in beautiful Naples? Jefferson brought back to his homeland the first pasta machine. In the late 19th century, thanks to Italian immigration, pasta became a common food in the US. The International Pasta Organization states that there are more than 600 different pasta shapes worldwide, 300 just in Italy. There are two very different types of pasta: dry pasta is made with just wheat and water; fresh pasta, instead, is made with a dough mixing eggs, flour, oil, and salt. Here is the podium of the Italian pasta shapes: the three most popular shapes are spaghetti, penne, and fusilli.
A portion of pasta for every mood
Also, there is a unique pasta to fit every mood or atmosphere. Do you need some "comfort"? Go for a "carbonara" with eggs and guanciale or a creamy "cacio e pepe" with a mountain of cheese. Do you feel more sophisticated? Try "spaghetti ai frutti di mare," with a delicious assortment of seafood. Are you in a hurry? Prepare a super easy "pasta alla crudaiola." You will need just to mix to your pasta some diced fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, grated hard ricotta, and extra virgin olive oil.
How can you observe National Pasta Day?
One word: explore the infinite world of pasta! Whether you're an accomplished "chef" or if you don't love to cook or are too lazy to cook, there's only one word for it: experiment! That is dare, try a new pasta, maybe a new dish you've never tasted. As is well known, we Italians love big tables. You could then invite your friends over for dinner all about pasta of all kinds. A fun and rather an inexpensive idea. You could ask your friends to bring a dish of pasta that they have never tasted (maybe avoid the usual pasta with tomato sauce or the classic Bolognese sauce!).
