All Roads Lead to Pasta

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Joanne Natale Spigonardo

August 23, 2024

Bucatini Amatriciana

Yes, it’s true that all roads lead to Rome, but also all roads lead to pasta. Pasta has been famous for thousands of years, approximately 3500, and dates back to the Shang Dynasty, ancient Greece, the Etruscans, and of course the Romans. Pasta came to high popularity during the 1800s when wealthy travelers visited Europe on the Grand Tour. The delight of pasta travelled back to the United States. With the influx of Italian immigrants and the affordability of making pasta at home, it became even more prevalent in the United States and beyond.

Timballo

Pasta’s versatility and creativity make it a blank canvas for many sauces. It can be as simple as Pasta Pomodoro, with olive oil and basil, or it could be a gourmet delight with variations of Tuscan mushrooms and truffles. It can be regional to specific areas of Italy, traditional creations like pasta alla ghitarra, using an old fashioned pasta guitar appliance, and Timballo. Both are creations of the beautiful Abruzzi region. If you remember the movie Big Night, with actor Stanley Tucci, the script centered around making the complex Timballo, literally a pasta pie, which is luscious, and an art form.

Pasta Cacio e Pepe

Pasta is a huge part of the landscape of the Roman dining experience. Rome has four famous pastas. They are Bucatini Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe, Carbonara, and alla Grecia. Bucatini Amatriciana, are thick tubular spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork cheek), tomato sauce or fresh chopped tomatoes, pepper flakes, white wine and olive oil. If you haven’t prepared it, it is often featured on cooking shows, and there are countless recipes online. Often chefs have their own versions. With the ingredients used it is impossible to not come up with a great personal version.

When I visit Rome, my favorite first meal is always, classic spaghetti alla carbonara. For me it is part of the Roman experience. The recipe for the sauce includes pecorino and parmigiano cheeses, pancetta (Italian bacon), eggs and heavy cream. This pasta is the most decadent and luxurious, however it is not healthy, and should be consumed in small quantities. Perhaps a long walk after the meal should be a requirement, but it is exquisitely sumptuous.

Spaghetti Carbonara

So little time, and so many delicious pastas. You can be creative and invent any recipe and use the ingredients in your fridge or in your pantry. Pasta is inexpensive, it is not only a comfort food, but a culinary adventure. Some other noteworthy pastas are some you’ve heard of, pasta alla grecia, or the classic aglio e olio – garlic and oil that is eaten on Christmas Eve, the Neapolitan version include anchovies.

Alla Grecia Pasta

For your next meal, I hope you consider making one of these pastas that are mentioned here. Pasta can even be eaten for breakfast! Hope you invent a new recipe of your own. Buon Appetito e Viva Italia and its wonderful pastas!

About the Author

Joanne Natale Spigonardo has many years of experience in travel to Italy, Italian art, music, literature, film, history, wine, and cuisine. She is a lover of nature and beauty.  She is an advocate for Italian immigrant women, and the author of White Widow, which is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/White-Widow-Joanne-Natale-Spigonardo/dp/B085DT65DB.  For more information about Joanne please visit her LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-spigonardo-b4824a9/.

Published by spigonaj

Joanne Spigonardo Business Development Consultant Specializing in Sustainability, Higher Education, Career Management, and Public Relations In her former roles, Joanne served as Senior Associate Director at the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL) at Wharton. Joanne was also part of the Communications Office. She held positions as business manager of the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists and for the Wharton Alumni Magazine. Joanne also served as the media relations coordinator. When with Alitalia Airlines, Joanne worked as a sales representative. Joanne graduated from The University of Pennsylvania with a BA and later graduated from the Wharton Aresty Institute of Executive Education. She has a strong background in development, management, marketing, and Italian language and culture. As a Wharton Mentor, she coached new employees on professional development, and is active in Penn’s Grievance panels. Joanne was on the board of governors for the University Club. Joanne is chair of the Delaware County Penn Alumni Interview Program and oversees alumni volunteers. As an alum of Penn and Wharton, and also a parent of two Penn graduates, she is a strong advocate in promoting Penn. At Wharton IGEL, Joanne had been in partnership with GreenBiz, Sustainable Brands, the Ethical Corporation, Pira Packaging International, Public Relations Society of America, the Green Sports Alliance, World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, the Italian Consulate, the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Sonoma County Winegrowers Association, and the Nature Conservancy, as well as, many other NGO and government offices. She has brokered hundreds of corporate relationships for Wharton. Joanne is the author of her book, White Widow, published on Kindle and Amazon. The book is a fictional novel about 19th-20th Century Italian immigrants. https://www.amazon.com/White-Widow-Joanne-Natale-Spigonardo/dp/B085DT65DB

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