MIAMI.- Every year, on January 4, the World Spaghetti Dayand food which is part of traditional Italian cuisine, but is one of the most popular and desired Worldwide.
Although it is unknown why this anniversary is celebrated on this date, it is known that this peculiar celebration has its origins in the United States.
Spaghetti or spaghetti is a type of pasta with an elongated cylindrical shape that is easy to cook, with which you can prepare a wide variety of recipes to taste it. It is usually made with semolina flour and has long been a favorite of millions of people.
Spaghetti means hilitos or cordones, the singular is written as spaghetto, a diminutive of string “cordón”.
The origin of spaghetti
Its origin has been debated with different theories for a long time. The best-known story relates that it was Marco Polo who took it to Italy in the 13th century, upon his return from one of his trips to China, from where he brought Chinese noodles or noodle.
Some research indicates that pasta dates back to ancient Etruscan civilizations that prepared a type of food by crushing and grinding various cereals and grains, which they then mixed with water to cook them and obtain a type of spaghetti.
Other versions indicate that the Greeks, when they founded Naples, adopted a dish that the natives made that consisted of a paste of barley flour and water that they dried in the sun, called makaria.
On the other hand, it is said that the first reference to this type of pasta was in Italy in 1154 and referred to an export factory in Sicily. However, it was in the 18th century when it arrived in Naples.
By the year 1400, pasta in Italy was called lasagna and was manufactured by the lasagnare, then the fidelli arrived, which were cylindrical-shaped pasta threads and their manufacturers were called fidelari, who changed their name to vermicelli in the year 1800.
Some studies date the making of spaghetti in ancient Rome to the 3rd century BC, when emperors had a special appetite for Laganum, which were long strips of pasta made with wheat flour.
USA, one of the largest consumers
In addition to being popular in Europe, it is also popular in countries such as the Philippines, Guatemala, Brazil and South Africa. Figures from the International Pasta Organization (IPO) indicate that Venezuela is the largest consumer of pasta, after Italy. Among the 10 countries that consume it the most are the United States, Tunisia, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.
Pasta became popular in the US with the arrival of Italian immigrants at the end of the 19th century. Today, Americans consume more than two and a half million metric tons of pasta in a year.
In the late 19th century, American restaurants offered Spaghetti Italienn, a dish composed of noodles cooked beyond al dente and a mild tomato sauce containing spices and vegetables such as cloves, bay leaves, and garlic.
Types of spaghetti
There are different types of spaghetti, their size and thickness can vary from half a millimeter to approximately two millimeters, which is why they are called differently depending on their characteristics. Among the best known from thinnest to thickest are:
- Spaghetti nº 3
- spaghetti nº 5
- los spaghettoni nº 8
The best spaghetti recipes
There is a wide variety of pasta dishes that can be prepared based on spaghetti, and they can be accompanied with different ingredients such as sauces, meats, creams or cheeses.
The most common recipes that can be prepared with this star ingredient include pesto spaghetti, marinera spaghetti, bolognese spaghetti, carbonara spaghetti, Neapolitan spaghetti, pesta nero spaghetti, among others.
These must be cooked “al dente”, so that they are neither hard nor very soft, in order to take advantage of all their flavor and nutritional properties.
As it is celebrated?
Many look forward to this day to share with friends and family and prepare this delicious dish in any of its many forms.
Pasta lovers can join this experience to celebrate and experience the joy of tasting a delicious plate of spaghetti by cooking their favorite spaghetti dish, trying a new recipe or visiting their favorite Italian restaurant or trattoria.
@Lydr05
Source: With information from La Razón and International Day Today
