The popular myth that pasta originated from Chinese noodles introduced to Europe by Marco Polo during his 13th-century travels has been widely debunked by food historians.
While Italians are renowned for perfecting pasta and creating its countless regional variations, the broader tradition of noodle-like dishes traces back much further across Asia. According to National Geographic, the oldest known noodles were discovered in China at the Lajia archaeological site, dating back approximately 4,000 years (around 2000 BCE). These millet-based noodles represent the earliest physical evidence of this versatile, starchy staple in human diets worldwide.
In contrast, the roots of what we recognize as Italian pasta extend to the ancient Mediterranean. Giorgio Franchetti, a food historian and expert on ancient Roman history, along with “archaeo-cook” Cristina Conte, have revived forgotten recipes from classical antiquity in their book Dining With the Ancient Romans. The pair hosts immersive dining experiences at Italian archaeological sites, allowing participants to savor recreated Roman noble meals while exploring the elaborate—and sometimes surprising—rituals that accompanied them.
Franchetti explains that between 1000 BCE and 800 BCE, the ancient Greeks referenced laganon: a flat sheet of dough cut into irregular strips. The Romans later adopted this as laganae (the plural form), incorporating it into everyday dishes like soups featuring leeks and chickpeas—a beloved Roman staple.
These ancient Roman pasta strips bore a striking resemblance to modern Italian maltagliati (“badly cut” irregular shapes), which remain a popular pasta type in Italy today, often used in hearty soups or with rich sauces.
In essence, while noodle traditions emerged independently in different cultures—earliest in China with millet varieties—the specific evolution of dried, wheat-based pasta as we know it in Italian cuisine has deep Mediterranean origins, predating Marco Polo by centuries and owing more to Greek and Roman innovations than to any single imported influence.
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