Yes, it’s world pasta day. Lots can be done with pasta, from making penne curtains like they do in Portofino, to making a cheap and tasty lunch.
It’s not one of those “days” that arose out of a traditional Italian love for semolina flour bashed into all sorts of shapes and served lovingly to families; it’s one of those corporate things, like Secretary’s day. “Buy something. It’s your duty.”
An association called UN.A.F.P.A. is the culprit, at least as far as World Pasta Day is concerned. UN.A.F.P.A. was founded in 1960, by the Associations of Pasta Manufacturers of the European Union. They sponsor World Pasta Day on the 25th of October.
Of course, pasta without the sauce is, well, a bit boring. Many Italians try to produce a balance between the saucing and the pasta. Then again, there are always folks like Mark Bittman, who exhorts the masses to forget what they’ve learned and pile on the veggie sauces with reckless abandon. You can tell by the title: Serving Pasta? Forget What You Learned
It’s the American way. Traditional cuisine? No thanks, We’re ‘merican.
Still, I can’t help feeling like a big bowl of Orecchiette con salsiccia e cima di rape right now.