Origin of pasta

Historically, the first beginnings of pasta can be traced back to ancient Asian cultures such as Chinese and Arabic. The Chinese were already making noodles and other forms of pasta from wheat flour more than a thousand years ago. With the help of traders, pasta then spread to the Middle East, where it became intertwined with local culinary traditions.

In ancient Rome, pasta was a popular dish among the population because it was nutritious, easy to prepare and had a reasonable shelf life. The Romans made pasta from wheat flour and water and dried it in the sun. While pasta became a staple of Roman rations, its preparation and distribution developed in different directions throughout Europe and the Mediterranean as the Roman Empire collapsed.

During the Middle Ages, pasta also became popular in Italy, where many different forms and types of pasta were developed, such as spaghetti, noodles, lasagne, etc. Italian cooks skilfully combined pasta with different sauces and ingredients, contributing to the variety of flavours and dishes for which it has become famous.

Today, pasta is an important part of international cuisine. Different countries have contributed their own unique approaches to the preparation and consumption of pasta. This has contributed to the infinite variety of pasta dishes that have been popularised by different cultures around the world.

The origins of pasta are thus intertwined with a long and fascinating history linked to different culinary traditions, which has contributed to pasta becoming one of the most popular and recognisable dishes in the modern diet.

Where do we eat the most pasta?

Italy is traditionally the country where the most pasta is eaten in the world. Pasta is deeply rooted in Italian culinary culture and is a staple ingredient in many traditional Italian dishes. There is a huge variety of pasta in Italy, varying in shape, size, texture and method of preparation.Italians are known for being extremely passionate about their pasta and boast a wide range of recipes and sauces to accompany them. Some of the most famous Italian pasta dishes are spaghetti, tagliatelle, ravioli, lasagne, penne and fusilli.

However, over the years pasta has spread all over the world and become popular in many other countries, adapting to local tastes and cooking traditions.

For example, different types of noodles and noodles have developed in Asia, while Latin America has developed dishes such as Mexican ''fideos'', which are similar to pasta.

Although Italy remains the most recognised country for eating pasta, it is in fact eaten all over the world, reflecting its influence on international cuisine and its popularity as a quick, tasty and easy food to prepare and eat.Italian pastaAs mentioned above, Italians are true specialists in divine creamy pasta!

Here are some delicious Italian recipes:

Spaghetti Carbonara

Top the spaghetti with a sauce of fried bacon, beaten eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. The eggs cook with the heat of the pasta to form a creamy sauce.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Top the fettuccine with a sauce of butter, cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Add a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Penne all''Arrabbiata

Top the penne with a sauce of tomatoes, chilli, garlic, olive oil, salt and freshly chopped parsley.

Linguine in seafood style

Linguine topped with a sauce of seafood such as prawns, squid and mussels, sautéed with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and BAM Sea Master.

Ravioli with butter sage sauce

Cheese-stuffed ravioli topped with a sauce of butter, fresh sage and grated Parmesan cheese.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Top spaghetti with sautéed garlic in olive oil, add chilli flakes and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and BAM Italian Spice Set.

Pasta Primavera

Top a variety of pasta with a sauce of fresh vegetables such as courgettes, peppers, carrots and broccoli, sautéed in olive oil and seasoned with spices.

Orecchiette with pesto

Orecchiette pasta is topped with a fresh pesto of basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and olive oil.

When making pasta Italian style, it is important to use quality ingredients and follow simple but tasty recipes that bring out the flavours and textures of the pasta and sauces.

Asian style pasta

What about Asian cuisine and its rice noodles with delicious spicy sauces that make you salivate? Asian cuisine is famous for its rich sauces that indulge the taste buds and leave us open-mouthed. The best way to spice up your sauce is to use BAM Asian Five Spice Blend, also known as ''five spice''. The five spice blend adds a balance of salty, sweet, hot, bitter and sour to the sauce. The slightly sweet, warm flavour that the Asian spices bring is an indispensable addition to the Asian sauce. These spices are: star anise, fennel seeds, Chinese cinnamon, black pepper and cloves.

Pork, duck or chicken can be added to the sauce, which goes perfectly with the Asian spice mix, and it can also be used in combination with vegetable or fish sauces. If you''re more of a spicy person, you can try yellow chilli barbecue sauce.

How to cook pasta properly?

A big mistake we often make when cooking pasta is to pour off all the water in which the pasta was cooked. It is advisable to save 2 dcl of the liquid and add it to the sauce, along with the drained, cooked pasta, and stir well to combine all the flavours.

The pasta alone, however perfectly cooked, is not a complete dish. It is only when combined with a really good sauce that their flavour is fully developed. And no sauce really comes into its own without the herbs chosen. It is, after all, the spices that add the extra richness to the dish. They are the highlight of every master sauce and pasta dish made with them, so it is right to use them with flair and creativity.