traditional italian pasta: with or without eggs?
I read that in the north of Italy they would use eggs in their recipes (the recipe to make the pasta itself). Is it an actual tradition or is it just a recent trend? I always thought that the pasta was something simple, made with the heart, durum semolina and water.
Best Answer
Although nowadays both are ubiquitous in Italy (and abroad), dried pasta and fresh egg pasta are traditionally associated with different regions of Italy.
Dried durum-wheat pasta originated in the old Kingdom of the two Sicilies, which encompassed the entire Southern Italy, including the island of Sicily, and had its capital city in Naples. Oldest historical records associate the production and consumption of dried pasta with Sicily, but one of the best renowned home of pastifici (artisanal pasta production places) from time immemorial is the town of Gragnano, in the province of Naples.
Still today, the humble spaghetti with tomatoes and basil is one of the iconic food of Naples.
Fresh egg pasta ("fresh" here is referred to pasta, not to eggs, as in "not essiccated") is linked to the historical region of Emilia, part of the River Po Valley.
It is worth mentioning that from a historical point of view this is the reason why spaghetti alla bolognese, one of the best known Italian dishes abroad, is actually a fake one: "bolognese" means "from the city of Bologna", which is the largest city of Emilia. For this reason it was always supposed, from its very own "design", to go well with tagliatelle, which is a classic fresh pasta format.
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Quick Answer about "traditional italian pasta: with or without eggs?"
Pasta made with egg is somewhat richer tasting, and of course the yolk adds colour. None of these is more "traditional" than any other. Different towns and regions have different traditions.Does authentic Italian pasta have egg?
Your typical fresh, Italian-style pasta is made from a combination of eggs and flour.Does pasta have to be made with eggs?
Many types of oriental pasta and noodles contain no egg, but some do. Many of their pastas and noodle-type pasts are made from wheat flour and durum semolina. Others use rice flour, beans, tofu, and even nuts to make pasta.Is pasta with egg better?
Benefits. Egg noodles' nutritional content is similar to that of regular pasta but slightly lower in calories, carbs, and protein ( 1 , 2 ). They're also often enriched, meaning that certain vitamins and minerals have been added, increasing their nutritional value.How is pasta traditionally made in Italy?
PRODUCTION. Typically, pasta is made from unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked in boiling water. Pastas may be divided into two broad categories, dried (Pasta Secca) and fresh (Pasta Fresca).Fresh Pasta with SEMOLINA FLOUR - Eggless Pasta Dough
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Answer 2
There are many kinds of pasta. Some are made from flour and water. Some are made from flour and eggs. Sometimes there is oil in the recipe. Some have other ingredients such as spinach or chilli, for colour and flavour.
Pasta made with egg is somewhat richer tasting, and of course the yolk adds colour.
None of these is more "traditional" than any other. Different towns and regions have different traditions.
Answer 3
It's not recent at all, for example lasagne are documented in ancient times. Also dried pasta as spaghetti is very antique.
The term
lasagne, or, rarely, the singularlasagna(from Old Greek àganon, ???????) generally denotes egg noodles cut into large squares or rectangles. They are typically used for casserole dishes. It is a dish of antique origin, appearing for the first time in writing inRe coquinariobyApicio.
(From the Italian Wikipedia article on lasagne).
One is not a variation of the other, they are just different preparations... if you really want to see the history ( rather than tradition) then you should also consider all the wheat derivates as bread, pizza, focaccia, quiches....
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