The History of Traditional Italian Food

It's simple to know the recipes that've been passed down from generations, but do we really know the history behind our culinary traditions?

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Food is one of the most fundamental bases of our human existence. Food is a system of communication that reveals our morals and beliefs,communal and personal identity and the importance of one's culture by continuing to cultivatethrough their own traditions and memory. Rooting all the way back from the origin isfascinating within itself and therefore sparked a curiosity in where the lasagna came from orbetter yet how did these recipes develop within Italian culture?

Colosseum in Rome, Italia

The Colosseum in Rome, Italia (from Canva photos)

Food Origins from the Roman Empire

The Italian culture is very unique in its own way. Food has always played a special role in the gathering of friends and family over a shared feast.

Italian Cuisine lies deep into the ancestral traditions of Rome. So many flavors and ingredients were discovered as the Roman Empire grew larger.

Pasta being Italys most popular dish, is traced back to the Etruscans who conquered Rome in 800 BCE. And later during the time of the Middle Ages we find the development of dried pasta.

A mural in a tomb was discovered in Etruscan where it dedicated the making of pasta from mixing water and flour and the use of special techniques such as a rolling pin to further bind the ingredients. Such techniques are very similar to the way my mother taught me.

In the 1st Century AD one of the worlds most oldest cookbooks was discovered. It was a collections of ancient Roman recipes collected by Marcus Garius Apicius.

On the other hand, bread making and grape fermentation to make wine was introduced to the Romans by the Greeks.

After the destruction of the Roman Empire, the divers group of nations that conquered the region left a special mark in the life of an Italian. Our cuisine expanded to the new fruits and spices introduced into the culture.

The regions of Italy to this day showcase the diverse array of ingredients and flavor.

Roman banquet

A typical Roman Banquet, painted by Roberto Bompiani (by twice25 at wikimedia.org)

Roman Banquets

A banquet was an event simply to give thanks to God over food and drink; however despite the variety of groups; wealthy, poor, elite, etc, these banquets still followed similar patterns across social classes in terms of the type of food that was being served, how the invitations were sent, how the dining room was decorated, even the placement of guests. There were 2 main parts of the meal; the sharing of food known as the deipnon which was then followed by teachings and entertainment known as the symposium. The inclusivity of the open table fellowship was a serious challenge to the hierarchy of Roman society. Those of different class, race and wealth reclined together, but for the local Roman agents it was a serious disorder to allow such practices amongst people of a lower hierarchy as it was represented as a “nearly explicit political and economic challenge to Roman rule,”as emphasized by author Mary E. McGann.

How Early Christian Faith Influenced Italian Food

Early Christian worship emphasized by McGann was understanding the importanceof the centrality of a meal. The breaking of bread, drinking wine out of a blessed cup andother forms of discourse shared amongst the community as an offering to God.

Many of the foods we conquered a sin and thereofre we restricted in many peoples diets. However, the popularity bread, fish, fruit, eggs and even cheese grew.

Christian worship, it is the inclusivity and gathering of a diverse group of individuals who strive to grow their Faith in the Lord through food, drink, music and entertainment; such as the Eucharist through deipnon and symposium as practiced in the context of early historical Christian practices.