Spaghetti; long, thin pasta that is fun to eat. Who invented it, China or Italy? Well, China invented pasta and the noodle but Italy invented spaghetti as we know it today. I think it has to do with how it was dried so it didn’t break.
1957
Everyone knows that pasta is made with flour, water and sometimes enriched with vitamins. Or do they? In 1957 the TV station BBC reported on a reputable news program about spaghetti trees. It was filmed in Castagnola in southern Switzerland where these trees grow.
At that time spaghetti wasn’t universally available in the United Kingdom. Spaghetti was bought in a can and considered to be a delicacy. An intriguing thought to grow your own and it caught the interest of many. There were a lot of calls to the station after the broadcast from people who wanted to grow their own. But it was April 1st, April Fools’ Day.
A Hoax? Watch it and see what you think. It looks respectable to me, maybe I’ll try and grow some myself. Now, do you plant them in dirt or tomatoes?
Spaghetti Etiquette
Once your spaghetti is grown how do you eat it? Cut, twirl or use a spoon? Basically the rule goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” At home you are free to eat spaghetti however you please. I think I probably cut it when I was growing up in America, although cutting is not technically correct. None of that twirling and slurping for us. We ate with one hand in our lap and elbows off the table. Our spaghetti was cut into serving sizes that fit nicely on the fork. Civilized.
When I came to Switzerland it was a completely or almost completely different story. No, don’t get me wrong, the Swiss are civilized, but they do things differently. In Switzerland I learned to twirl, usually there was a spoon to help tame the rowdy strands. It wasn’t as difficult as I expected. Although I admit I have ended up with a huge roll of spaghetti on my fork because I picked up too much in the beginning.
I suspect spoon or no spoon might be a Northern versus Southern Italy thing, but I’m not sure. The only thing clear is when there is a spoon on the table you are allowed to use it. If there isn’t one set then don’t ask for one and do without.
There are a series of films that were made in the 50s and 60s that are set in Northern Italy. One of two main protagonists is a Roman Catholic priest. In the second film he is seen eating spaghetti. It was rather memorable. So I guess that is how it is eaten in Northern Italy. No spoon, no twirling and certainly no cutting. Say “Ahhhh”.
Spaghetti Casserole
This is a family recipe and I have no idea where it originated. More than likely not Italy. It has been described by friends as spaghetti-lasagna, which sort of true because it is layered pasta and ground beef. But the cheeses used are not the same used in lasagna.
I didn’t realize I would want to make it in Switzerland so I didn’t bother to copy the recipe. So the first time I made this in Switzerland I made it from memory. Right. I had always been on the eating end of spaghetti casserole, I had never made it. Poor Ben. Then at some point when we were in the States I did the smart thing and copied the recipe.
Being Creative
I tend to make variations of the recipe, because in Switzerland you can’t always find exactly the same foods. Would you believe it, I couldn’t find cheddar cheese here at a normal grocery store. You can now, but it is the English kind, not orange! And I thought all cheddar was orange. At any rate, with all the cheese varieties in Switzerland I found Gruyère cheese a worthy substitute. In fact, although you can buy cheddar here now I still use Gruyère.
Quite often I’ve substituted quorn for ground beef (a vegetarian vegetable protein). I haven’t tried this but I bet you could even use different chopped vegetables instead of ground beef.
I have varied the amount of cheese, meat and spiciness and it always turns out great. The most important parts of this recipe is having enough liquid to soften the spaghetti. Without enough, the spaghetti will stay crunchy! The amount of spaghetti also stays constant for that reason. The other thing I never change is the olives. I’m not particularly an olive lover and as a child would pick them out of the dish. Still, without them it just doesn’t make the grade. Always, always, always add the olives and pick them out if you don’t like them.
As for cut, twirl or spoon, this is definitely a cut spaghetti. Because it is broken to fit the casserole dish it’s too short to twirl. So be creative!
Spaghetti Casserole – the Recipe
2 slices bacon, cut up
2 onions chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ lb ground beef (400 g)
1 ½ tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce (4.5 dl)
2 ½ cups water (6 dl)
½ cup sliced ripe olives (1.25 dl)
½ lb spaghetti (230g) (uncooked)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (2.5 dl)
Fry bacon 2 min. add onions, garlic, cook until soft.
Add meat; brown lightly. Stir in seasonings, tomato sauce, water.
Cover, simmer about 25 min. Stir in ripe olives.
Break half spaghetti into greased 2 quart casserole, cover with ½ the sauce ½ the cheese. Repeat layers (putting spaghetti in other direction). Cover. Bake in moderate oven 350° F (177°C) 30 minutes.
Uncover, bake 15 min. longer until brown and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Here is my favorite scene from The Lady and the Tramp and a very romantic way to eat spaghetti.
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