Homage is paid to the most famous staple of the Italian kitchen, as you heed the call of your pasta pots to celebrate Spaghetti Day, observed annually on January 4.
Before the surge of Italian immigrants, Americans were stuck with the canned stuff that was swimming in a ketchup-like liquid. However, intoxicating aromas from Italian kitchens spread far and wide. Today, Italian cuisine is one of the most popular dining choices in the country.
Spaghetti is the most widely recognized pasta. Its long strands nestle in pasta bowls to serve as the palette for a variety of sauces. Red sauce marries harmoniously with spaghetti and meatballs. Alfredo sauce is creamy and white, and vodka sauce incorporates red sauce with vodka and cream.
It is tossed with eggs, cheese and bacon to create carbonara. Prefer lighter fare? Consider tossing it with pesto, a paste made with basil, parsley, garlic, pignoli, olive oil and grated cheese.
Other deliciously light options include spaghetti with clam sauce or simply dressed in olive oil, minced garlic and parsley. Introduce the meal with a tossed salad and garlic bread.
Celebrate Spaghetti Day by uncorking a bottle of Chianti and enjoying dinner with friends and family. Later, you can all watch a marathon of “The Godfather” movies as you figure out how to make room for the cannolis and espresso. Buon appetito!
