Pasta, The History and The How-To

There is simply nothing more delicious than a bowl of pasta, in all of its many forms. Whether tossed with butter, served with tomato sauce, doused with pesto, or baked in a casserole, pasta is a tasty treat enjoyed by all. Though so many of us around the world know and love pasta, many of us do not know the history of its origination, or the science behind how it is made. The following serves to answer both of those questions, and may make you hungry for some pasta!

  Pasta, “Italian for ‘paste’ or ‘dough,’” being one of the “...simplest preparations of cereal flour…” originated in China “...sometime before 200 BCE.” (McGee 2004 p. 571)  The Chinese created not only simple noodles, but also filled pastas such as wontons, dumplings, and pot stickers. Pasta started as a delicacy in China, reserved for the nobility, but as time went on pasta spread throughout the culture and became a staple in everyone’s diets.  The story goes that it was Marco Polo who visited China, ate their pasta, and brought the idea back to his home of Italy. This may be shocking to some, as pasta is commonly thought of as coming directly from the Italian. Once brought to Italy, the “...postmedieval evolution of pasta…” began to take place between the 12th and 13th century.  (McGee 2004 p. 573) The Italians revolutionized pasta making over the centuries, as their climate provided ideal conditions for drying pastas. From their introduction of pastasciutta, “...pasta served as the main component of the dish, moistened with sauce…” and the al dente method of cooking “to the tooth,” the Italians gave us the pasta we know and love today. (McGee 2004 p. 573)

  The pasta making and cooking process is truly fascinating, as it greatly differs from all other types of doughs. The so called “trick” to making pasta dough is “...to transform dry flour particles into a cohesive mass that is malleable enough to be shaped into thin strips, but strong enough to stay intact when boiled.” (McGee 2004 p. 573) Durum wheat is ideal for its strong gluten networks, and lower elasticity, giving pasta makers a dough that is easy to roll and boil. Once the flour, water, and salt have been combined, the dough is kneaded and left to rest “...to allow the flour particles to absorb the water and the gluten network to develop.”  (McGee 2004 p. 574) This cohesive, workable dough is then continuously rolled until the dough is in thin sheets. These thin sheets can then be cut or pressed into a variety of shapes, depending on the desired outcome and the future use of the pasta. To cook, pasta is vigorously boiled in 10 times its weight of water. Doing so causes “...the protein network and starch granules [to] absorb water and expand, the outer protein layer [to rupture], and the dissolving starch [to escape] into the cooking water.” (McGee 2004 p. 575) This creates a moist, soft, cooked dough, ready to be served with sauce and enjoyed!

References

McGee, H. (2004). On Food And Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York,    

   NY: Scribner. Retrieved from http://wtf.tw/ref/mcgee.pdf.