A little bit of Pasta History

Most believe that it was the legendary Marco Polo who brought pasta to Italy from China, but the truth is that it has been around long before h ever left for the orient. It is most likely that during the 8th century as invasions into Arab lands occurred, pasta was returned to Sicily. There the word macaroni originated meaning, making dough forcefully, which is how it was originally created. Dry hard pasta as we know of today did not become popular until the 14th century when its ability to last a long time and its nutritional value made it more common for Italians. Furthermore, advancements to the production of pasta made it an easier task than just an all day work task. Pasta continued to grow and become more popular in the Mediterranean diet. But after the discovery of tomatoes in the Americas, pasta was paired with the sauce that is still used today.

Demetri, Justin. “History of Pasta.” Pasta History. Life in Italy. 6/25/08.<http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/pasta-history.asp>