Difference between Traditional Italian
and
American/Italian Pasta
When it comes to pasta, the differences between traditional Italian pasta and their Italian-American counterparts are notable, especially in the United States.
Many pasta dishes commonly associated with Italian food in America have no direct equivalent in Italy. Here are some examples:
1. Spaghetti and Meatballs
In Italy, spaghetti is typically served with simple, light sauces like spaghetti al pomodoro (tomato sauce) or spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and oil). However, the famous combination of spaghetti and meatballs is an Italian-American invention. In Italy, meatballs (polpette) are usually served on their own, often as a second course, and never with pasta.
2. Fettuccine Alfredo
In Italy, fettuccine is a traditional pasta, but the creamy sauce often called Alfredo in the U.S. is virtually unheard of.
Italian versions of pasta with butter and Parmesan (fettuccine burro e parmigiano) are much simpler, without the rich cream sauce that defines the American version. Fettuccine Alfredo was actually created in Rome, but it was adapted for American tastes, and is served as a heavier, richer dish in the U.S.
3. Baked Ziti
While baked pasta dishes do exist in Italy (like lasagna for example), baked ziti is a unique Italian-American creation. The dish consists of ziti pasta baked with a tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and often meat. Italians may bake pasta with cheese (like pasta al forno), but the specific combination of ziti and ricotta in this style is distinctly American.
4. Chicken Parmesan (Chicken Parmigiana)
The classic parmigiana dish in Italy typically involves eggplant (melanzane) rather than chicken, and it is a Southern Italian specialty. The Italian-American version of Chicken Parmesan, where breaded chicken cutlets are topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese, is a product of Italian immigrants adapting to American tastes and ingredients.
5. Penne alla Vodka
This pasta dish, featuring penne pasta in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce, is another Italian-American creation.
While Italy has a rich tradition of pasta sauces, the use of vodka in the sauce is not part of traditional Italian cooking. The dish likely originated in the U.S. in the 1970s or 1980s and became widely popular.
These dishes, while beloved in the U.S., reflect the ways in which Italian cuisine was adapted to American ingredients, tastes, and portion sizes, leading to variations that are now considered iconic in the Italian-American food scene, but would be rare or completely unknown in Italy.
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