Chicago Pasta House

Italian cuisine has developed over the centuries, originating as far back fourth century B.C. It has been have influenced by Etruscan, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Jewish foods, but was also greatly developed after the introduction of new world foods like the tomato and potato.

We all know about thicker crusts like deep dish pizzas, but the most popular crust both in the US and around the world is still the thin crust. Just how popular? More than 61% of pizza orders are for thin crust pizzas.

Italian cuisine includes rich meat and seafood dishes as well as many vegetables, fruits, grains, spices, herbs, and nuts. Italy's long coastline and maritime industry has contributed to the wide variety of ingredients available to enjoy in its cuisine.

Did you know that in ancient Rome, wine was the most often consumed beverage, even more than water? In fact, most Romans of the day start off their day with a shot of wine. When wine was scarce or running low, many people had to resort to drinking water to quench their thirst.

Did you know that tomato sauce, one of the primary components of a traditional pizza, contains powerful antioxidants that help the body prevent the formation of cancer? Pizza is not often touted as a health food, but maybe it should be!

The use of tomato as a topping for pizza was an innovative idea for flatbread in the 16th century. For some time after the tomato was brought to Europe from the Americas at the time, it was believed by many Europeans to be poisonous!

In 2005 Italian restaurant owner Bill Bahr from Iowa Falls, Iowa created an immense pizza with the help of 200 volunteers. He used 4,000 pounds of cheese, 7,000 pounds of sauce, and 9,5000 sections of crust. It provided 10 slices for every one of Iowa Fall’s 5,200 residents.

Herbs and spices make Italian cooking unique. Here are a few ingredients you'll find again and again in signature Italian recipes: garlic, oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, bay leaf, mint, rosemary, parsley, fennel seed, and sage.

It's probably no surprise that the most popular Italian drink with meals is wine, but that's not the only traditional Italian drink. Northern Italians are known for drinking an aperitif called spritz before their meals, usually a sparkling wine.

‘Fare la scarpetta’ is Italian for using bread to mop up food. It means ‘do the little shoe’ and it originates from the idea that you squash the bread into a shape that resembles a shoe before you wipe your plate clean!

Italian pasta is usually yellow due to the use of durum flour and semolina. Most traditional Italian pasta is cooked al dente or firm to the bite, which means not too soft. Because pasta outside Italy is made from other kinds of flour, it is softer than the traditional fare.

Did you know that pizza makes up more than 10 percent of all food service sales in the entire country? Now that’s a lot of pizza!

Deep-dish pizza was invented in 1943. It was created by two Chicagoans, Ric Riccardo Sr. and Ike Sewell.