The world today recognizes pasta to be the Italian cuisine. Pasta is synonymous with Italian cuisine all over the world. Pasta's simplicity in preparation and storage makes it a symbol of Italian cuisine all around the globe. People in different countries also love pizza and tomato sauce. Pasta's history is much older than pizza, tomato sauce, or any other Italian food.

Legend says that Marco Polo introduced pasta to the Italian public. He is said to have taken it with him on many of his travels. History shows that pasta was already popularized by Marco Polo around this time. 

Pasta dates back to long before Marco Polo. Pasta is believed to have been popular in Italy since the eighth century. This was also when the Arab invasion of Italy greatly influenced Italian food. The combination of Italian and Arabic foods is believed to have led to the creation of pasta.

It was popularized quickly by the public because wheat, which is a common ingredient in Italy, was used to make pasta. Pasta had spread throughout Italy by the 1300s. It was loved by people for its high nutritional content and long shelf-life. Because of the same reasons, it was also used on long ship journeys. It became a very popular food in Italy and was soon known all over the globe. The recipe was greatly improved and many shapes and sizes were added. 

It has become an integral part of every Italian's daily life.

1839 was the year that the next, and most important, change occurred in pasta. The tomato was already discovered in America, and the rest of world was still trying its amazing fruit. Many Europeans considered it poisonous and avoided it. Although it took some time for people to accept tomatoes, they eventually made them an integral part of the pasta recipe. The tomato sauce is an essential ingredient in pasta making today.

It is easy to see why pasta has become such an important part Italy's diet. The Italians consume almost three times the amount of pasta as the Americans. The average Italian eats sixty pounds of pasta each year. It's due to

This is why pasta is synonymous with Italian cuisine. Italy has to import large quantities of wheat because Italians eat so much pasta. Even though pasta is mass-produced, the majority of good quality pasta is made in Italy. American pasta is therefore of lower quality. Most Italians make pasta the same way they have for generations, using the recipes passed down from father to son and mother to daughter. 

To enjoy the best pasta experience one must visit Italy to savor authentic Italian pasta.