~ Being vegetarian often means pasta ~

...that the true origins of pasta are a guess at best. There just is no significant historical record that proves conclusively that pasta originated in Italy or some other country.

However, Italy�s wonderful climate does provide the perfect setting for growing durum wheat. Durum wheat is a hard wheat that produces semolina, the primary ingredient for most dried pastas.

Dried pasta became popular way back in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries primarily because it was easily storable. In fact, it could be stored easily on ships setting out to explore the New World and served as one of the primary food sources. And, because what goes around comes around - the tomato, which has been credited with origins in South and Central America, was introduced to the Mediterranean coast by the same sailors and explorers on return trips home. It is believed that the Spanish explorer Cortez brought seeds back to Europe where they were planted as ornamental curiosities, but not eaten.

The first indications of tomatoes as a food source only date back to the first half of the 18th century. Sun dried tomatoes were originally introduced as a means of preservation. When choosing your pasta, try to choose a whole-wheat variety as they typically have two to three times the fiber content of regular enriched pasta.