National Pasta Day

Today a PR related Twitter account that I follow informed me that it is National Pasta Day! Of course for Italians, every day is National Pasta Day, but I still think it is a fun way to celebrate a staple food that is known and loved around the world.

To celebrate National Pasta Day, here are some interesting facts about pasta, courtesy of the website Life In Italy:

• Although it is believed that Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy from a journey to China, it is also believed that Arab invasions of the 8th Century had an influence on modern dried pasta. 
• Italians eat over 60 pounds of pasta per year, per person!
• There are around 350 shapes of dried pasta. 

Photo Credit: authentic-italian-pasta-recipes.com

From the perspective of a college student, pasta is cheap and easy to cook, with tons of varieties from which to choose! For example, I recently found "vegetable pasta" at Dominick's, pasta claimed to be made from vegetables such as carrots and beets. It was delicious. I also discovered a recipe for squash-based spaghetti via Pinterest from the food blog, dashingdish.com - definitely something I would like to investigate! 

Personally, pasta has always been a staple in my diet due to my Italian heritage. Nonna makes homemade ravioli every Christmas, and my mom makes a delicious penne, chicken, and vegetable dish.     I have countless memories based around it.  Many of my favorite meals during my study abroad experience in Rome consisted of some sort of pasta, specifically gnocchi quattro formaggi - gnocchi with four cheese sauce. Pasta dinners was also one of the ways my little sister in my sorority and I bonded during Chicago's 2011 "Snowpacolypse!" My mom and Nonna's pasta dishes are always welcome comfort food when I am stressed out about work or finals.  

Pasta is perfetto!