Is there anything better in this world than pasta? Think about it. The pasta noodle is so versatile and so much can be done with it. And then there are shapes! Spaghetti, tagliatelle, penne, fagottini, penne, orecchiette oh, Madonna mia!
Well, this article is partially paying tribute to how obsessed I personally am with pasta, but it doesn’t come from randomness. Today, dear readers, is National Pasta Day all around the world! So while this post does give salutations to my love of my favorite food, we’d like to remind you all why pasta is so great as well.
IT’S BEEN LOVED BY MANY FOR GENERATIONS
This is definitely a super basic fact, but did you know that pasta was originally introduced to Italy by Marco Polo via his travels to China? Polo ventured to China in the time of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the Chinese had been consuming noodles as early as 3000 B.C. in the Qinghai province. So before we move on, we need to acknowledge that we owe a LOT to China for introducing this magic into our lives.
Photo by Eater’s Collective on Unsplash
IT’S SO VERSATILE
You could do anything with a pasta noodle, all you need is imagination! You could lay them out flat like lasagne and fill them with delicious combinations. You could work the durum wheat and semolina into a shell shape to form rigatonis, cannelloni, ravioli, tortellini and fill them with cheese, meat, pesto, sauce – the options are endless.
Photo by Jameson Fink on Flickr
You could also just opt for my personal favorite way of eating pasta, which is spaghetti al dente with a really good quality olive oil, butter, freshly cracked black pepper, and some of that good good Pecorino Romano cheese. Dubbed cacio e pepe, this delicious recipe is the best way to indulge in pasta – just don’t forget to add a tiny drizzle of truffle oil for a mind-blowing experience.
Photo by Whitney on Flickr
IT CAN BE A SIDE DISH
People who think that pasta doesn’t make a suitable side dish don’t know what they’re talking about. Pasta goes amazingly with fish, with vintage eats like escalope, and with a lovely grilled Portobello mushroom “steak” – and that’s just for starters!
Photo by Gail on Flickr
Have you ever ordered a side of mac and cheese to enjoy with your fried chicken or barbecued ribs? Which would you say was the side dish there? We didn’t think so.
IT’S SO COZY
When you’re cold, what do you want to eat if you aren’t in the mood for soup? A cozy bowl of pasta. When you’re sad, what do you want to eat while you’re upset at everyone in the world around you? A cozy bowl of pasta. When you’re sick but starving, what’s the ideal meal that you could still manage to eat in bed? Macaroni noodles kissing tomato sauce – trust me. That soothing dish also translates to a cozy bowl of pasta.
Photo by Stephen Depolo on Flickr
And don’t even get me started on what every cheesy couple in love wants to do at least once to show off their #goals? That’s right, have a Lady and the Tramp moment with spaghetti and meatballs.
DIFFERENT CULTURES HAVE ADOPTED IT
You get noodles from all over the Asian continent in form of pad thai, yaki soba, chow mien and Ramen. You get your Greek Pastitsio pasta bake. You get your Koshari, your macarona béchamel, and even Kuwaitis have their own form of ravioli (Gabboot). Furthermore, try to find one diner, casual or upscale eatery that doesn’t offer pasta on their menu everywhere around the world.
Photo by Katrin Gilger on Flickr
It has been socially proven, over the past decade, that pasta is one of the best genres of food in the world! We hope we always have it, and if you like me, need to control your pasta intake, then today is the day of days you should go for it. Twirl your spaghetti, stab a fork through your penne and proclaim “I LOVE PASTA, HEAR ME ROAR!”
LOCAL PASTAS WE LOVE:
We need to give a shout out to some of our favorite places to indulge in pasta at. Whether we’re dining on-site or ordering in at home or to the office, these places know their pasta and reign supreme in our hearts and tummies.
The Kitchen
Taken from The Kitchen’s Instagram @thekitchenkw
Nino
Taken from Nino’s Instagram @nino_kw
Speaking of classic, this local eatery has been long loved in our hearts for the past two decades now. Nothing can beat their Farfalle Al Forno!
Amami
Taken from Amami’s Instagram @amamikuwait
Vigonovo
Taken from Vigonovo’s Instagram @vigonovo_kw
There are so many places in Kuwait that offer up great pasta dishes! Check them out in our 2017 Dining Guide by clicking here. For more options, stay tuned for our upcoming 2018 Dining Guide, out in January.
