Have you ever talked with someone or made assumptions about who invented pasta? I’m sure you have heard of the story that pasta was invented in China and that the Italians learned it from there. According to the story, it was Marco Polo who, in his travels to Asia along the Silk Road, imported pasta to Italy and Europe. This is naught but a legend! Marco Polo has contributed to making some products known outside of Asia, but pasta or noodles are not among them!

So, who is the real inventor of pasta? The reality is that pasta – as we know it today – is the product of two millennia of transformations. In fact, there is evidence of several populations from various parts of the world who have had dishes with similar characteristics similar to the ones of pasta in their culture! Let’s try to explore some bits of hisory!

History of pasta

We start as far back as year 400BCE. At this time, the Etruscan civilization was established in central (Ancient) Italy and their land was called Etruria. The Etruscan civilization dates back to 900BCE, and stayed around until they were incorporated in the Roman Empire almost nine centuries later. Evidence suggests that at least around year 400BCE, Etruscans were making a dish similar to pasta, called laganum. This was a dough made from flour and water, which they flattened and cut into strips. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Later, in the 1st and 2nd centuries (CE), this dish was described in a similar manner by the Romans and the Greek. In both cases, the dough was described as being stuffed with various ingredients (meat and vegetables) and then deep fried. Fast-forward to the 5th century, and a cookbook now describes lagana as layers of dough stuffed with meat (Serventi & Sabban 2002, pp. 15–16.), which sounds conceptually similar to modern-day lasagna.

At the same time, between the 3rd and 5th centuries a dish called itrium, consisting of boiled dough, was also common in Palestine. In addition to this, the description of a similar dish has been found in an Arabic dictionary (under the name of itriyya) in the 9th century.

Although none of these early dishes exactly match what we think of as pasta today, they all share a common thread: dough made from flour and water, often boiled, baked, or fried, and served with or around other ingredients. These variations across regions and centuries reflect the long and diverse evolution of what we now recognize as pasta. Travel back in those days wasn’t as common as today, but they have still influenced each other over the years, through writing and trading.

Modern pasta

Food historians suggest that the dish likely gained popularity in Italy due to widespread Mediterranean trade during the Middle Ages. Starting in the 13th century, references to pasta dishes increased throughout Italy (The Twisted History of Pasta. National Geographic). This increase in popularity is also partially due to the fact that, when dried, is preserved very well. This alone made it much easier to transport and trade!

Tomatoes weren’t introduced in Italy until the 16th century, but the first written recipes of tomato sauces are as “recent” as the 18th century. Before that, pasta was eaten directly with fingers!

In conclusion, while the true origins of pasta are a complex web of cultural exchanges and innovations! It’s clear that this beloved dish is the product of centuries of experimentation, trade, and adaptation. From the Etruscans’ early laganum to the medieval Mediterranean’s boom in pasta production, its evolution reflects a rich history of cross-cultural influence. While pasta has become a symbol of Italian cuisine, its roots stretch far beyond the Italian borders.

This was only a small recap of the long history of pasta of course! I find it fascinating and it was fun to talk about it. I tried to keep this post as a light read, but I hope you enjoyed it too!