Pasta Overload and Proper Nutrition

While we were in Italy, pasta infiltrated out lives.  It was difficult not to be enticed to eat it everyday.  It must have been something in the air. However I usually planned for one carb in a meal.  So we ate potatoes, risotto, pasta, polenta and crispy bread.

One day Signora Simiele called.  She worked at the central post office in Verona.  She told me that all the postal workers were getting together to order a carload of De Cecco pasta.  Apparently everyone thought the familiar blue and yellow box was the best brand.  We’re talking a freight car here.  Signora asked me if I would like to go in on it. I said "yes."  She asked me how much and what shapes: spaghetti, penne, farfalle, rotini, linguini etc?  I didn’t have a clue.  I suggested she order what she thought was best. Remember Signora had a family of 5 hungry children, two hard-working adults and friends and relatives.

About a month later our order arrived.  Vincent needed to borrow a van to pick it up.   There were several large cartons 3’ by 3’ as I remember.  Inside were smaller cartons with boxes of all shapes of pasta.  We had enough pasta for eternity and then some.

That fall the first grade parents of students at Agli Angeli Elementary School were summoned to a meeting.  I remember an elegantly appointed room and about 30 mothers, all chatting to beat the band.  The principal introduced a medical doctor to the group.  The Dottore was there to talk to parents about good nutrition for their bambini.

Basically, her message was that children needed to eat meat and vegetables before they were served pasta.  Traditionally, Italians begin their noon meal with pasta and then move on to the meat, veggies and salad.  The Doctor pointed out that children will fill their tummies with pasta and have no room for the rest of the meal.  Nutritionally they needed the vitamins and minerals provided by fruits and vegetables.  She was met by silence.  Then there were a few questions about carrots vs. string beans and polenta vs. pasta.  Then we left the room.

I had a feeling that when they got home, these mamme would probably not change the natural order of a traditional meal.  After all they had been raised that way, and they were perfectly healthy.

Here’s a healthy, vegetarian pasta dish that might meet with the Dottore's approval.

Pasta Primavera

1. Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a pan.  Add a chopped garlic clove, 1/2 lb. sliced asparagus, 1/2 lb. fresh peas (frozen is fine),  5 ounces of chopped baby spinach. Sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile cook a pound of tagliatelle according to the package, drain, saving 1/2 cup cooking water.
3. Add to the vegetables: the grated zest and juice of one  lemon and a large handful of chopped spring herbs: mint, basil, parsley(maybe fennel fronds) Mix well.   
4. Mix the pasta into the vegetables.  Add a little pasta water if necessary to moisten.
5. Fill four bowls with the pasta primavera.  Sprinkle with chopped almonds, parmesan and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Buon Appetito