COLEGIO DE DAGUPAN

ARELLAN ST. DAGUPAN CITY

NUTRITION
&
DIET THERAPY

SUBMITTED BY:
AVILES, PEDIALY

CANTO, NORIE JANE

ESTAC, CLARISSA MAE

MALICDEM, JIREH EUNESA

OBISPO, CLOYD JHON

PEJO, JERRY

PRAIDO, AIRA MAE

ONE- POT-PASTA- WITH SPINACH
AND TOMATOES
Where Did Pasta Originate?

Pasta is one of the world’s most accessible foods. Nearly every country has its
own unique version of this popular, inexpensive staple. In fact, when many of us think of
pasta we think of Italian food, and most people believe that it originated there. While
pasta is traditionally Italian, it actually has a very ancient history that makes it almost
impossible to know who came up with the dish first.

When we talk about pasta, we must first define the term. The word pasta is generally
used to describe traditional Italian noodles, which differentiates it from other types of noodles
around the world. Pasta is made from unleavened dough consisting of ground durum wheat
and water or eggs. The use of durum wheat sets pasta apart from other forms of noodles.
Durum wheat’s high gluten content and low moisture make it perfectly suited to pasta
production.

While we do think of pasta as a culturally Italian food, it is likely the descendent of

ancient Asian noodles. A common belief about pasta is that it was brought to Italy from China
by Marco Polo during the 13th century. In his book, “The Travels of Marco Polo,” there is a
passage that briefly mentions his introduction to a plant that produced flour (possibly a
“breadfruit tree”). The Chinese used this plant to create a meal similar to barley flour. The
barley-like meal Polo mentioned was used to make several pasta-like dishes, including one
described as “lagana” (lasagna). Since Polo’s original text no longer exists, the book relies
heavily on retellings by various authors and experts. This, combined with the fact that pasta
was already gaining popularity in other areas of Italy during the 13th century, makes it very
unlikely that Marco Polo was the first to introduce pasta to Italy.
INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

8 ounces whole-grain spaghetti or linguine (such as Barilla)

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 ounce fresh spinach

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

PROCEDURE

1. Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat.
2. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until onion starts to brown.
3. Add tomatoes, stock, oregano, and pasta, in that order. Bring to a boil. Add noodles; stir
to submerge in liquid.
4. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 7 minutes or until pasta is almost done.
5. Uncover; stir in salt. Add spinach in batches, stirring until spinach wilts. Remove from
heat; let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Nutrition