Spaghetti day: a symbol of Italian cuisine

Whoever dreams of a nice steaming plate of Spaghetti with tomato sauce, raise your hand!

Everyone loves pasta, but Spaghetti is still the favorite, not only for Italians but also for Americans. In fact, on January 4th United States celebrate Spaghetti during the Spaghetti day, a symbol of Italian cuisine.

The origins of Spaghetti

Who invented spaghetti? This is one of the most common questions. Let’s first dispel the myth that Marco Polo introduced pasta after his visit to China. In reality, thanks to the advent of agriculture about 9,000 years ago, one of the first examples of pasta was born thanks to the cultivation of legumes and cereals. These were mixed with water to obtain a mush. The dough was then transformed into polenta, bread or pasta. The Etruscans and Romans already knew the lagana, corresponding to modern lasagna. These were sheets of pasta stuffed with meat and then cooked in the oven. Testimonies state that around the 12th century, in the Middle Ages, the first dried pasta made from durum wheat appeared in Sicily, thanks to the Arabs who introduced it from the Middle East. It seems that the first long pasta was created in a small village near Palermo, in that same period.

Maccheroni, what is that?

We can consider Palermo as the first true capital of pasta. In fact, starting from the Middle Ages the term used was Maccheroni, from the Sicilian word Maccarruni, meaning to flatten. However, the word spaghetti appears later, for the first time in the early 1800s. With the development of machines and the technological revolution of the late 1800s, pasta becomes the dish of poor people and slowly one of the main sources of sustenance. Some cities in southern Italy and some on the seaside become very famous for their pasta factories. Like Genoa and Gragnano, which had excellent climatic conditions (dry and windy air), perfect for dried pasta.

Spaghetti in America

Spaghetti, or rather Maccheroni, made its entry into the United States in 1790 thanks to Thomas Jefferson, returning from a trip to Naples. In addition to pasta, he also brought a machine for Maccheroni, starting the production of Spaghetti in the States. However, this symbol of Italian cuisine began to spread more completely between 1860 and 1880, when the phenomenon of emigration reached its peak. This is how we have the Italian-American cuisine, a mix of original Italian recipes and those invented by immigrants with the ingredients they could find in America. Some of these recipes gave us the popular Fettuccine Alfredo, the Chicken parmigiana and the famous Spaghetti and meatballs. Even a dedicated day was created: the Spaghetti day. 

Spaghetti day

Americans love pasta! Especially Spaghetti! In fact, January 4th is Spaghetti day, the day in which they celebrate one of the symbols of Italian cuisine. Several years ago, a group of immigrants suggested to establish a dedicated day to our national dish. This was a good idea to let people know the true traditional Italian recipes. According to the evaluations, Americans eat an average of 9 kg of pasta per year. The second favorite pasta shape in the USA is rigatoni, and in third place we find fettuccine. Obviously, in first place we have Spaghetti. During the Spaghetti day, it is possible to go to a typical Italian restaurant and choose the sauce that you prefer and eat your favorite plate of Spaghetti. However, the main rule is always and only one: never cut Spaghetti!

The best condiments for Spaghetti

In Italy there are so many condiments suitable for spaghetti, depending on the region. But some of them are iconic. Spaghetti alla carbonara, in Rome, spaghetti with clams, in Naples, and the famous garlic, oil and chili pepper, all over Italy. The most representative of our beautiful Italy is certainly spaghetti tomato and basil. This perfect combination appears only at the beginning of the 19th century, long after the discovery of the Americas, when the tomato was no longer seen as a poisonous fruit. In the 1803 book Cucina economica, by Vincenzo Agnoletti, he talks about the first union between tomato sauce and pasta. Not exactly like the one we know today, but rather a soup. In fact, pasta was first blanched in water and then cooked in broth and seasoned with tomato. In 1837, the first recipe for Spaghetti with tomato, by Ippolito Cavalcanti, appears.

Spaghetti with garlic, oil and chili pepper: the recipe

When you don’t have many ingredients at home because you forgot to go shopping, or when you suddenly get hungry late at night, or when you don’t feel like cooking, the perfect pasta dish is just one: garlic, oil and chili pepper! One of the simplest but at the same time one of the tastiest. Let’s see together how to prepare it at home!

(for 4 people)

320 gr of spaghetti (depends on how hungry you are)

2 cloves of garlic

1 large chili pepper (depends on how brave you are)

oil to taste (which is never enough)

Start by boiling the water for the pasta. In the meantime, crush the garlic and put it in the pan. For a more delicate flavour, you can also decide to leave it unpeeled. On the contrary, for a stronger flavour, you can also chop the garlic finely. Chop finely also the chili pepper and add it to the pan together with the garlic and oil. Start frying them, but don’t burn them. As soon as the water boils, add salt and then the spaghetti until al dente (chewy). Sauté them in a pan with the rest of the ingredients and a little pasta water. Stir them over medium-high heat for a few minutes and serve. Buon appetito!