So you think you know pasta
Oretta Zanini de Vita, the pre-eminent Italian food historian, seems to have a tool for every pasta: a centuries-old ravioli cutter, a wooden stamp that mints pasta like coins, a chitarra for creating thick strands of tagliatelle. The subject of her latest book happens to be, the "Encyclopedia of Pasta," Through hundreds of descriptions of pasta styles, with explanations of their origins and of how they’re made, the book places pasta in its social and historical context. The book also explodes a few myths. Do not think of mentioning the popular belief that Marco Polo had a role in the history of pasta. "Ma no," she said in a jovial paroxysm of outrage. "When Marco Polo came back they had been eating pasta in Italy for 200 years!" Instead, she notes in her encyclopedia, dried pasta made with durum wheat was found in Italy starting around 800 A.D. It was spread by the Muslim conquerors of Sicily, and by the 12th century the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa marketed dried pasta.
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Pre-eminent Italian food historian Oretta Zanini de Vita seems to have a tool for every pasta: a centuries-old ravioli cutter, a wooden stamp that mints pasta like coins, a chitarra for creating thick strands of tagliatelle.
Seen here, some of her 'ancient' tools. (NYT Newsservice)
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The 73-year-old's book Encyclopedia of Pasta,which has recently appeared in English, places pasta in its social and historical context. It details hundreds of descriptions of pasta styles, with explanations of their origins and of how they're made.
In food there's lots of regionalism Oretta Zanini De Vita said."Everyone thinks he has the most authentic recipe."
She further explains how the range of shapes shows that cooking was a way of self-expression for women to show their creativity and imagination with little or no resources. (NYT Newsservice)
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The book also explodes a few myths. Do not think of mentioning the popular belief that Marco Polo had a role in the history of pasta."Ma no" she said in a jovial paroxysm of outrage. "When Marco Polo came back they had been eating pasta in Italy for 200 years!
Instead, she notes in her encyclopedia, dried pasta made with durum wheat was found in Italy starting around 800 A.D. It was spread by the Muslim conquerors of Sicily, and by the 12th century the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa marketed dried pasta. (NYT Newsservice)
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According to her, the history of pasta is also the history of conquest. The orecchiette of Puglia, "little ears" that lovingly show their makers' thumbprints, date back to the 13th-century domination of Southern Italy by the Angevins of France.
"They resemble the crosets of Provence, which are still made in Piedmont with the same name."she writes. (NYT Newsservice)
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In recent years, Italy has transformed from a nation of emigrants to a nation of immigrants. But Zanini De Vita finds the running debate about whether immigrants can prepare Italian food ridiculous.
"It's only a question of technique and ingredients, so it's sheer stupidity to think that they can't do it" she said. Still, she added, perhaps non-Italians are missing an ingredient."What would be harder for foreigners to do is to invent things," she said. Or go on instinct."We have that inside our DNA." she said. (NYT Newsservice)
![<p>The 73-year-old's book Encyclopedia of Pasta,which has recently appeared in English, places pasta in its social and historical context. It details hundreds of descriptions of pasta styles, with explanations of their origins and of how they're made. </p>
<p>In food there's lots of regionalism Oretta Zanini De Vita said."Everyone thinks he has the most authentic recipe." </p>
<p>She further explains how the range of shapes shows that cooking was a way of self-expression for women to show their creativity and imagination with little or no resources. (NYT Newsservice)</p>](https://drop.ndtv.com/albums/NEWS/pasta/2.jpg "<p>The 73-year-old's book Encyclopedia of Pasta,which has recently appeared in English, places pasta in its social and historical context. It details hundreds of descriptions of pasta styles, with explanations of their origins and of how they're made. </p>
<p>In food there's lots of regionalism Oretta Zanini De Vita said."Everyone thinks he has the most authentic recipe." </p>
<p>She further explains how the range of shapes shows that cooking was a way of self-expression for women to show their creativity and imagination with little or no resources. (NYT Newsservice)</p>")
![<p>The book also explodes a few myths. Do not think of mentioning the popular belief that Marco Polo had a role in the history of pasta."Ma no" she said in a jovial paroxysm of outrage. "When Marco Polo came back they had been eating pasta in Italy for 200 years! </p>
<p>Instead, she notes in her encyclopedia, dried pasta made with durum wheat was found in Italy starting around 800 A.D. It was spread by the Muslim conquerors of Sicily, and by the 12th century the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa marketed dried pasta. (NYT Newsservice)</p>](https://drop.ndtv.com/albums/NEWS/pasta/3.jpg "<p>The book also explodes a few myths. Do not think of mentioning the popular belief that Marco Polo had a role in the history of pasta."Ma no" she said in a jovial paroxysm of outrage. "When Marco Polo came back they had been eating pasta in Italy for 200 years! </p>
<p>Instead, she notes in her encyclopedia, dried pasta made with durum wheat was found in Italy starting around 800 A.D. It was spread by the Muslim conquerors of Sicily, and by the 12th century the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa marketed dried pasta. (NYT Newsservice)</p>")
![<p>According to her, the history of pasta is also the history of conquest. The orecchiette of Puglia, "little ears" that lovingly show their makers' thumbprints, date back to the 13th-century domination of Southern Italy by the Angevins of France. </p>
<p>"They resemble the crosets of Provence, which are still made in Piedmont with the same name."she writes. (NYT Newsservice)</p>](https://drop.ndtv.com/albums/NEWS/pasta/4.jpg "<p>According to her, the history of pasta is also the history of conquest. The orecchiette of Puglia, "little ears" that lovingly show their makers' thumbprints, date back to the 13th-century domination of Southern Italy by the Angevins of France. </p>
<p>"They resemble the crosets of Provence, which are still made in Piedmont with the same name."she writes. (NYT Newsservice)</p>")
![<p>In recent years, Italy has transformed from a nation of emigrants to a nation of immigrants. But Zanini De Vita finds the running debate about whether immigrants can prepare Italian food ridiculous.</p>
<p>"It's only a question of technique and ingredients, so it's sheer stupidity to think that they can't do it" she said. Still, she added, perhaps non-Italians are missing an ingredient."What would be harder for foreigners to do is to invent things," she said. Or go on instinct."We have that inside our DNA." she said. (NYT Newsservice)</p>](https://drop.ndtv.com/albums/NEWS/pasta/5.jpg "<p>In recent years, Italy has transformed from a nation of emigrants to a nation of immigrants. But Zanini De Vita finds the running debate about whether immigrants can prepare Italian food ridiculous.</p>
<p>"It's only a question of technique and ingredients, so it's sheer stupidity to think that they can't do it" she said. Still, she added, perhaps non-Italians are missing an ingredient."What would be harder for foreigners to do is to invent things," she said. Or go on instinct."We have that inside our DNA." she said. (NYT Newsservice)</p>")
