Main Course

Food Facts – Pasta

February 14, 2014

-An Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making pasta as far back as the fourth century B.C.

-Chinese people have been making noodle-like food as early as 3000 B.C.

-Thomas Jefferson was credited for bringing the first macaroni machine to America in 1789.

-Pasta existed for thousands of years before anyone ever thought to put tomato sauce on it.

-Spinach is used to make pasta green, tomato makes pasta red and squid ink makes pasta gray. Yes, there is gray pasta.

-The average person in Italy eats more than 51 pounds of pasta every year.

-The average person in North America eats about 15 pounds of pasta every year.

-Top-quality pasta is made from durum wheat, which is grown in North Dakota.

-The United States produces 1.9 million tons of pasta every year, while 2.75 million tons of pasts is produced in Italy each year.

-To make your own pasta, all you need is 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of water. The most important part of making your own pasta is allowing the dough to rest for 20 minutes. It allows the flour to absorb the water uniformly and makes the dough easier to handle.

-Noodles in Singapore are called “meat”.

-In Italian, “fettuccine” means “ribbons”

-There are over 600 pasta shapes worldwide.

-Pasta is categorized in two basic styles: dried and fresh. Dried pasta is made without eggs and can be stored for up to two years, while fresh pasta will keep for a few days under refrigeration.

-100% whole wheat pasta contains more fiber; therefore gets digested slower than regular pasta.

-October is National Pasta Month.

-In the 13th century, the Pope set quality standards for pasta.

-The word “pasta” comes from the Italian word for paste, meaning a combination of flour and water.

-My Store

You Might Also Like

  • Amelia Fu March 16, 2014 at 2:38 am

    Noodles in Singapore are called "mee". Not meat! Comes from one of our dialects 🙂

  • Guest June 7, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    RE: "while 2.75 million tons of pasts is produced in Italy each year."
    Typo.
    pasta

    • Byron October 29, 2014 at 4:40 pm

      Thanks for the heads up!