Pasta is fast outgrowing its traditional Italian roots and has become a truly global ingredient, one that is not only very adaptable but also healthy.
It’s an ingredient you can use all year round as a healthy pasta salad in summer or a yummy, hot and creamy dish in winter.
In our house, pasta was regarded as a side dish, whether in a salad or a Mac and Cheese bake.
But now as grown-ups, that has changed and I’ve learnt how versatile this dish can be.
Simply adding fried onion, soy
sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and a little chicken or even viennas can make a perfect meal on its own.
According to the International Pasta Organisation, the average South African eats just 1.9kg of pasta
per year as opposed to the 23.5kg consumed by an average Italian, 9kg consumed by the average American and 8.1kg consumed by the average Frenchman.
In comparison, South Africans love traditional staples such as maize and wheat, chowing 60kg per and 56.76kg, per capita, respectively.
Pasta is a great source of plant-based protein, so they’re perfect for vegetarians.
It contains vitamins A, B1 and B2 as well as iron and calcium, and forms part of recommended eating plans for mense with diabetes, heart disease or obesity, provided that you don’t stuff yourself with it every day.