What is Italy without pasta? Come to think of it, where would the rest of us be without this staple of global cuisine? An acclaimed Italian food writer tells the colorful and often-surprising history of everyone’s favorite dish.
In this hugely charming and entertaining chronicle of everyone’s favorite dish, acclaimed Italian food writer and historian Luca Cesari draws on literature, history, and many classic recipes in order to enlighten pasta lovers everywhere, both the gourmet and the gluten free.
What is Italy without pasta? Come to think of it, where would the rest of us be without this staple of global cuisine? The wheat-based dough first appeared in the Mediterranean in ancient times. Yet despite these remote beginnings, pasta wasn’t wedded to sauce until the nineteenth century. Once a special treat, it has been served everywhere from peasant homes to rustic taverns to royal tables, and its surprising past holds a mirror up to the changing fortunes of its makers. Full of mouthwatering recipes and outlandish anecdotes—from (literal) off-the-wall 1880s cooking techniques to spaghetti conveyer belts in 1940 and the international amatriciana scandal in 2021—Luca Cesari embarks on a tantalizing and edifying journey through time to detangle the heritage of this culinary classic.
"The food historian and writer has chronicled how a wide array of pasta dishes made the Italian food staple so influential around the world.The Discovery of Pasta provides a how-to on the preparation of each dish along with spoonfuls of fun facts."
"In The Discovery of Pasta, Luca Cesari lets us in on secrets the Italians prefer not to publicize. It wasn’t until the end of the 18th century that Italians garnished pasta with anything more exciting than a little butter and cheese. Until 100 years ago, it was standard for pasta to be overcooked and served as a side to meat. So, the next time your Italian friend tries to pasta-shame you, you will be able to dish up a response—some delicious new recipes."
"Bologna-based food historian Cesari delivers a thoroughly researched narrative crafted around the evolution of ten beloved staple dishes from the Boot, disabusing the world of the myths of famous pasta origin stories. An excellent read for those willing to set food-purist notions aside in order to see the bigger picture and enjoy what is nearly always the nuanced evolution of a recipe."
"If cooking pasta correctly is a religion, then Luca Cesari’s book is the Bible."
