Quezi

seafood and pasta - courtesy CyboRoZ - CC-BY

Well, the short answer is “no”—Marco Polo didn’t introduce pasta to Italy.

Pasta is a worldwide comfort food that most of us take for granted. The origins of pasta are as tangled as spaghetti on the plate.

It is true that Marco Polo mentioned in his memoirs that in some Chinese provinces the Christians (and others) ate ”macaroni or other sorts of pasta” (one translation gives lasagne). He is so casual about it that it assumes that his readers will know what he is talking about.

Some archaeologists say that the ancient Etruscans made pasta.  But that evidence is not solid.

This theory is based on archeological findings of carvings in Etruscan tombs. These stucco reliefs in the tombs depict a knife, a board, a flour sack, all of which may have had other uses. There also an iron pin that enthusiasts of the Etruscan theory would convince us was used to shape tubular pasta. Most archaeologists scoff at this interpretation, as the pin could have been used for other purposes. There really is no hard evidence to support the claim that Italian pasta making started with the Etruscans.

But all of these archaeological scholars agree that the Italians had been making pasta long before Marco Polo returned from China.

The first mention of boiled noodles that has been recorded dates from the 5th century AD when used to refer to an Arab food called “itriyah.” Itriyah was a type of dried noodle. Unlike fresh noodles which had to be eaten soon, dried noodles were good for traveling because they could be carried great distances without spoilage. It is quite possible that it was the Arabs who were the ones to introduce pasta to Italy when they occupied Sicily during the Early Middle Ages.

The manufacture of dried pasta gained in popularity during the 14th and 15th Centuries, as it could be easily stored.  On ships setting out to explore the New World, dried pasta was a common provision.  Different types of pasta, including the long hollow tubes, are mentioned in the 15th Century records of Italian and Dominican monasteries. By the 17th Century, pasta had become part of the daily diet throughout Italy because it was economical, easily made,  easily stored, and readily available.

No tomato sauce yet.  That came later.

Here is a good recipe that is somewhat different: Herb Pasta whith Lemon Zest and Caviar – used with permission.

Now that we have explored the origins of pasta, is chop suey really American?

For more information about Italian food.