Posted on 10/17/2023 5:59:52 AM PDT by Red Badger
NATIONAL PASTA DAY | OCTOBER 17
October is National Pasta Month, and October 17th recognizes National Pasta Day. Pasta lovers celebrate!
#NationalPastaDay
While we find noodles all over the world, pasta is a type of noodle of traditional Italian cuisine. The first reference dates to 1154 in Sicily and was first attested to in English in 1874. Typically, it is made from an unleavened dough of durum wheat flour. The flour is mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes. It can then be served fresh or dried to be stored for later use.
Types of Pasta
Look for pasta in pasta in both savory and dessert dishes. Since it's so versatile, pasta lends itself to sweet and every other dish on the table. Cooks feature pasta as a main dish, but they also serve up delicious hot and cold side dishes as well. And then, of course, those special desserts we can't resist making our mouths water.
Cooks originally made fresh pasta by hand. However, today, many varieties of fresh pasta are made commercially. Large-scale machines bring choices to our grocers daily. Smaller pasta machines on the market make having the freshest pasta at home even easier.
Dried and fresh pasta come in several shapes and varieties.
There are so many kinds of pasta! According to the Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini De Vita, 310 specific kinds of pasta identified by over 1300 names have been documented.
In Italy, names of specific pasta shapes or types vary with locale.
Example: Cavatelli is known by 28 different names depending on the region and town.
The size and shape of pasta may determine the best sauce to pair with it, too. For example, serve linguine with lighter, thinner sauces to avoid breaking the noodles. A similarly shaped noodle, fettuccine, is less delicate. That's why it carries heavier sauces like alfredo.
Learn more about pasta from the National Pasta Association.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL PASTA DAY
Explore the world of pasta. Whether you're cooking up a salad, main dish, or dessert, recipes abound. We offer several on our recipe page, too! If you don't feel like cooking, take the family out to an Italian restaurant. No matter what you are planning, invite friends to join you. It's the best way to Celebrate Every Day®! #NationalPastaDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL PASTA DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar® continues researching the origins of this delicious food holiday.
Pasta FAQ
Q. How do I prevent sticky pasta?
A. Sticky noodles ruin a dish. Use these tips to make perfect pasta every time:
Season the water with salt before adding the pasta. While it won't keep the pasta from sticking, it is the best time to add flavor to your pasta. Always bring the water to a boil before adding the pasta. Also, make sure you have plenty of water in the pot - too little and you'll need to add more.
Stir the pasta a few times while it's cooking.
Reserve some of the liquid before draining the pasta. Then run water over the pasta to help prevent sticking. You can even do this if you're eating it right away, especially if you're adding a sauce. If your sauce seems a little thick, add the reserved pasta liquid to thin the sauce and add more flavor.
Q. Can I freeze cooked pasta?
A. Yes. But don't overcook it. Al dente pasta will become mushy so you want to cook it until it is not quite al dente. You can also mix in most sauces before freezing. Avoid freezing cream sauces, like Alfredo, because they will separate and become grainy.
Q. What other pasta days are on the calendar?
A. Pasta is one of those foods that nearly everyone loves to celebrate. Check out this shortlist of pasta days we celebrate:
Spaghetti Day
Mac And Cheese Day
Tortellini Day
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October 17th Celebrated History
1814
When an iron ring holding together a fermentation tank snapped at the Horse Shoe Brewery in St. Giles, London, the ensuing flood collapsed one of the brewery walls sending a tidal wave of beer into the streets of Tottenham Court Road. The exploding vat also damaged other vats in the brewery causing more than 320,000 gallons of beer to fill basements and damage to surrounding houses. In the aftermath, 8 people died as a result of the fermented fury.
1855
Sir Henry Bessemer patented his steelmaking process that would later become known as the Bessemer Process. By blowing air into molten pig iron, Bessemer used oxidation to remove impurities from the iron.
1907
Guglielmo Marconi begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless telegraph service.
1919
Twelve years later, General Electric incorporates the Radio Corporation of America. With assistance from the United States Navy Department, RCA acquired the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company.
1937
Donald Duck's nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie appear in a comic strip for the first time.
1979
Congress passes the Department of Education Organization Act creating the U.S. Department of Education.
1997
At the United States National Skydiving Championship in Perris Valley, CA, an international team of jumpers sets a world record for the largest canopy formation by women using 25 parachutes.
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October 17th Celebrated Birthdays
Jupiter Hammon -1711
As the first published African American poet, he is considered the father of African American Literature. Born into slavery, Hammon received an education, learned to read and was allowed use of the manor library.
Henry Campbell Black - 1860
Although the lawyer didn't practice law for long, he did author the first comprehensive law dictionary - Black's Law Dictionary.
Mildred Knopf - 1898
Armed with a love of cooking, Knopf authored six cookbooks including Cook, My Darling Daughter and Around the World: A Cookbook for Young People. She also shared her memories of it all in Memoirs of a Cook.
Shinichi Suzuki - 1898
The self-taught musician was also a philosopher and educator. His love of music and education led Suzuki to developed the Suzuki method of teaching music.
Arthur Miller - 1915
The Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright is best known for the plays The Crucible, Death of a Salesman and All My Sons.
Violet Milstead - 1919
The Canadian pilot joined the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II, delivering planes to the military squadrons. She's also Canada's first woman bush pilot and earned numerous awards for her service.
Priscilla Buckley - 1921
For 27 years, the journalist and author was the managing editor for the National Review.
Evel Knievel - 1938
Known for his dramatic jumps, Knievel was the Harry Houdini of daredevils. Throughout his career he made more than 75 jumps on his motorcycles wowing spectators around the world.
Mae C Jemison - 1956
The chemical engineer and physician became the first African American woman in space. On September 12, 1992, Jemison along with six other astronauts flew into space aboard the space shuttle Endeavor.
Mike Judge - 1962
The animator created the television series Beavis and Butt-Head. He is also co-creator of the animated series King of the Hill and Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus.
Pasta La Vista BAYBEE!..................
Uh oh, time for fusilli Jerry.
I always stir a little olive oil into the cooking pasta. This prevents sticking.
Yes, and after the rinse..................
Is there anything better to eat for Sunday dinner than lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs?
We often have lasagna for either Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas day - to honor my husband’s Italian heritage. My daughter continues this tradition and makes the lasagna in a dutch over. Nothing better...
Today is the 34th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake in the Bay Area.
It also happened to be on a Tuesday that year (1989).
Wasn’t that the World Series Earthquake?...............
That’s the one! I was there (not at the game, but not far from it).
Easy Veggie Pasta
Quick and easy with lots of veggies and a simple tomato sauce made completely from scratch. For vegan spaghetti, skip the cheese and serve with a little nutritional yeast scattered on top. The sauce can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Makes 4 to 6 servings (About 6 cups of sauce)
You Will Need 12 ounces spaghetti or pasta of choice 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup (140 grams) chopped onion 2 medium zucchini, chopped (1/2 pound) 2 medium yellow squash, chopped (1/2 pound) 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon) 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes One (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 heaping cup) 2 to 3 teaspoons mushroom powder, optional, see notes 5 cups (1/2 pound) spinach leaves Handful fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish Salt and fresh ground black pepper Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for serving
Directions
MAKE SAUCE Heat olive oil in a wide skillet with sides over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent; 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt then cook, stirring occasionally until softened but still with some crunch; 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute. (When making this sauce, we usually end up using between 1 and 1 1/2 teaspoons of fine sea salt.) Add the roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and mushroom powder. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced by half; about 10 minutes. As the sauce cooks, use a spoon to break up the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces for a chunky sauce.
COOK PASTA While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil then cook pasta according to package directions.
TO FINISH Take the sauce off of the heat, and then stir in the spinach and basil. Taste then adjust with additional salt if needed. Toss in the cooked pasta, and then leave for a minute so that the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and the spinach wilts. Toss again, and then serve with parmesan or nutritional yeast sprinkled on top.
That's funny, I do that also. But...I was stationed in Sicily, living in an apartment off base. The landlord's son was in our apartment one evening as we were cooking pasta. I added olive oil to the water. He asked why I did that. I told him to keep the pasta from sticking. He said I didn't need to do that...that wasn't the way Sicilians cooked pasta. (I continued to cook it that way in the future.)
Another faux pas on my part... Years later I took my family to Sicily for a couple weeks. We were in a seaside restaurant eating out on the patio. I leaned over to cut up my youngest girl's spaghetti. She didn't have the "spin" method down. An elderly Sicilian gent at the next table was watching. He wagged his finger and shook his head "No" at me. That was also when my oldest daughter was introduced to spaghetti alle vongole (clams). The clams were pushed aside LOL.
When going to a new Italian restaurant I always order linguini and clams to see if they know what they are doing. I prefer white clam sauce.
After draining pasta and saving a half cup of pasta water for use later if needed, it is possible to put it in a pot of cool water and stop the cooking and much of the sticking. You will need to heat it later in a large skillet.
I also reheat leftover pasta dishes in a skillet with a little water. Always works for me.
Garlic.
Did I mention garlic?
Sauce is best absorbed by slightly undercooking. Make sauce from almost anything in the fridge. Garlic, onion, olive oil, butter, creme, dry cheese. spinach, basil, oregano, etc, etc
Crushed black or red pepper when serving.
Fusilli Jerry
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-8eIzb7enXY
For those on strict low carb diets there are Konjac (Jap. konnyaku) noodles. Noodles made from konnyaku are called shirataki.
They have almost no carbs. Generally flavorless, they absorb the flavor of whatever sauce they are in. You can get them shaped like rice, spaghetti, linguini, and even ziti noodles.
Often they are shipped in bags with liquid. Don’t know why. But you just drain the bag, rinse the noodles, and put them in the sauce pot.
Other than spaghetti and linguini alfredo, I have made a decent Ziti lasagna bake.
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