Alla carbonara, puttanesca, cacio e pepe, al’aglio, olio e pepperoncino or with a slow simmered Sunday sauce (with the meatballs on the side), however you serve it, enjoy it today (January 4th), in celebration of National Spaghetti Day.
The long, thin, tubular noodle comprised of semolina and water is probably one of the most recognized and utilized pasta shapes. It is a favorite among adults and children alike and is a staple of the Italian pantry.
While it may not have been invented by Italians, they seem to have perfected it, turning these simple strands into a variety of different shapes and sizes and dousing its deliciously starchy surface with anything from a simple infusion of olive oil and garlic, to a spicy puttanesca, an herbaceous pesto or a meaty Bolognese.
While Marco Polo is credited with introducing the noodle to Italy the origins of spaghetti actually go back thousands of years to the Arabs. Historical references have been made to the boiled noodle in the Jerusalem Talmund in the 5th century. Spaghetti, which is the plural of the word spaghetto, gets its name from the word “spago” meaning thin string or twine, and started being produced in Italy in the 12th century. The versatile pasta grew in popularity which lead to the creation of pasta factories in the 1800’s and it eventually made its way to North America in the 19th century.
Today the traditional Durham wheat semolina spaghetti can be found in both dried and fresh form and in other varieties such as corn, rice and spelt. No matter the variation or sauce with which you top it, the best way to enjoy it is cooked al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water. Buon Appetito!
