Imagine, if you will, a foodstuff fit for the kings and queens of old. Like swordfish and truffles, it continues to grace the very highest tables – yet it remains infused with the peasant humility of its agrarian origins.
It has a rich history. Each of its various forms carries some of the colour and character of its home region – this foodstuff, you see, comes from a proud nation where local delicacies are championed with the kind of fanatical loyalty usually reserved for sports teams.
Despite its stature, it is made with the very simplest natural ingredients. Its proper preparation is considered by many to be a worthy life’s work. Nutritionally, it’s a sterling source of energy, long favoured by athletes and anyone demanding lasting stamina. And it can be prepared to a halfway decent standard by even the most artless of non-cooks. Better still, it’s inexpensive and widely available.
The stuff of foodie fairytales? Not quite: pasta.
The “clean-eating” brigade doesn’t like pasta much. Too beige, too carb-y, too traditionally comforting. How can something so gorge-worthy be healthy, they ask. And yet, with sustainability, seasonality and authenticity at the forefront of food trends, pasta is reclaiming its rightful popularity – not that it has ever been in question in my house.
In Italy, the regional origins of a form of pasta are important, as are traditional notions about what other ingredients should accompany it. From experience – of which I have a lot – I can attest to the wisdom of following the “rules” and embracing the time-honoured culture of pasta. Quite simply, the results speak for themselves.
Pasta is simplicity in itself, being composed of only two ingredients – water and semolina – which gives it the ability to be transformed into whatever you want: a light lunch, small starter, rich ragu, seafood platter, spring soup, heavy bake … even a pie. The variety of different dishes and experiences you can create is vast and the results endlessly seducing. It’s also the perfect vehicle for the most delicious of sauces and favours the addition of healthy, seasonal vegetables.
Like so many of us, I grew up on pasta; spaghetti bolognese was the first dish I learned to cook. And as I’ve grown, I’ve indulged my pasta obsession without restriction or remorse – a recent favourite is homemade squid-ink tagliatelle, which I prepare in bulk for dinner parties and supper clubs.
That’s not to say my cupboards aren’t generously stocked with the dry variety – when the chaos of day-to-day life gets in the way, cacio e pepe, a simple arrabiata or homemade pesto dish offer a better solution than something processed or junky. That’s the beauty of pasta: it can be a clean, wholesome quick fix, as well as a more indulgent labour of love.
Anna Barnett is a food writer and cook.
