Nearly
every country has its own unique version of this popular, inexpensive staple.
In Germany and Hungary they have spaetzle. In Greeze, orzo. In Poland, they
enjoy pocket-like pierogi. Ashkenazi Jewish families make kreplach dumplings.
And in America, pasta is prepared and served similarly to the way it is found
in Italy with the exception of all-American spaghetti and meatballs. In fact,
when many of us think of pasta we think of Italian food, and most people
believe that it originated there. While pasta is traditionally Italian, it
actually has a very ancient history that makes it almost impossible to know who
came up with the dish first.
The
history of pasta is difficult to trace for several reasons. The word itself
translates to “paste” in Italian. This is a reference to the dough, made from a
combination of flour and water or eggs, all simple components that have been
around for centuries. This makes it hard to differentiate pasta from other
ancient dishes made from the same ingredients. In addition, since pasta has
long been a food of the common people, it has not received as much attention as
more extravagant foods… a pity, since it’s one of the most popular foods on the
planet!
When
we talk about pasta, we must first define the term. The word pasta is generally
used to describe traditional Italian noodles, which differentiates it from
other types of noodles around the world. Pasta is made from unleavened dough
consisting of ground durum wheat and water or eggs. The use of durum wheat sets
pasta apart from other forms of noodles. Durum wheat’s high gluten content and
low moisture make it perfectly suited to pasta production. The durum wheat
dough is pressed into sheets, cut into a variety of shapes, and cooked before
serving.
While
we do think of pasta as a culturally Italian food, it is likely the ancestor of
ancient Asian noodles. A common belief about pasta is that it was brought to
Italy from China by Marco Polo during the 13th century. In his book, “The
Travels of Marco Polo,” there is a passage that briefly mentions his
introduction to a plant that produced flour (possibly a “breadfruit tree”). The
Chinese used this plant to create a meal similar to barley flour. The
barley-like meal Polo mentioned was used to make several pasta-like dishes,
including one described as “lagana” (lasagna). Since Polo’s original text no
longer exists, the book relies heavily on retellings by various authors and
experts. This, combined with the fact that pasta was already gaining popularity
in other areas of Italy during the 13th century, makes it very unlikely that
Marco Polo was the first to introduce pasta to Italy.
By
PBS
Step aside taco shells and make room for pasta shells.
Mexican
Manicotti
Copyright
2013, Christine’s Pantry. All rights reserved.
Ingredients:
1
(8 oz. box) manicotti shells
1
pound ground beef
1
small onion, chopped
1/2
teaspoon black pepper
1/4
teaspoon salt
2/3
cup water
1
(1.0 oz.) packet taco seasoning mix
1
(10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
Directions:
Heat
oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook
manicotti shells according to package directions. Rinse with cold water. Drain
well.
Meanwhile,
in skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat. Cook until meat crumbles, and no
longer pink. Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Add onions, stir and cook
3 minutes. Add water, taco seasoning mix and diced tomatoes with green chilies,
stir well. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until
liquid has reduced. Turn heat off. Stir in 1 cup cheese, until cheese is
melted.
Spoon
meat mixture into each pasta shell. Top each filled shells with remaining beef
mixture.
Cover,
bake 25 to 30 minutes, until hot. Uncover, sprinkle remaining cheese. Bake
another 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
what a great idea~!!!!
ReplyDeleteLooks tasty.
ReplyDeleteWhat a really tasty pasta dish! You don't think of pasta and spicy, but this sure sounds good!
ReplyDeleteMan, oh, man, Christine, I could really chow down on this now! Love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ally!
DeleteOne of the best recipes I've seen! Love this, going to try it soon.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! Hope you get the time soon to make this. Thanks! :-)
DeleteLove lamb. This MUST be delicious!
ReplyDeleteI used ground beef, not lamb. :-)
Deletesounds delicous!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteLooks so good, Christine! And I guess the taco seasoning mix has taken the dish to another level of flavor!
ReplyDeleteI know, right! :-)
DeleteLooks like a delicious version to me
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteThis would be a hit in our home!
ReplyDeleteHope you have time to try it.
DeleteDelicious! What a great dinner idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteVery interesting history of pasta. Asian culture was responsible for a lot of Indian food too. I love facts like that and recipes like this! You've combined two of our favs! Mexican and pasta!
ReplyDeletesounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt's delicious! So good!!!
DeleteWhat a fun twist on manicotti! My daughter would love this.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ann! Appreciate you stopping by.
Delete