To whet your appetite—here’s a little of the history and tradition of pasta.

The egg-based pasta has its origins from peasant communities where the integral products—wheat and eggs were produced on the family land. This preparation was called “povera”, or “poor”, as it provided, for little cost, a substantive and nutritional meal.

Okay, in these modern times and in most of the world, the key ingredients are readily available. So what makes pasta special?

pasta making process

Indisputably, the secret of great pasta is in its use of fresh ingredients and working it by hand—time is required kneading the pasta dough to achieve a smooth and shiny mixture. The finished pasta is then produced by flattening the dough, sufficiently finely, with a long rolling pin and then cutting each fine sheet into the required shapes. 

 Device for making pasta alla chitarra

In the Abruzzo region of Italy a wooden-framed device with thin wire strings, similar to a guitar, has long been used to make spaghetti “alla chitarra”. The device is laid flat, a thin sheet of dough placed on the wire strings and a rolling pin used to cut the pasta sheet into square-shaped spaghetti (once cut the spaghetti falls through the gap between  each string). 

As a child in my native Italy I remember my mother and grandmother often making pasta cut into rough square pieces (circa 2cm) known as “maltagliati” (badly cut).

However, today, pasta machines are generally used to complete the work in much less time. Once the dough of egg and flour is mixed to a consistent mixture, pieces are cut and individually passed through the pasta machine rollers several times, at the widest setting, until each sheet is smooth and shiny. Gradually, the space between the rollers is reduced and you are left with a number of smooth, shiny strips ready to cut into spaghetti, or tagliatelle. (Additional fixtures can be purchased for some machines to produce other shapes.)

My family, now in its third generation, here in Australia is enthusiastic about cataloguing nonna’s pasta recipes and continuing her pasta-making tradition. For a special occasion Nonna need only ask (as is typical of Italians) “what will we cook for the occasion”—of course we all want pasta di casa or lasagne.

Share with us your own family stories and pasta traditions.