From Brazil to UK everyone cooking pasta and enjoying it!

Yesterday was the World Pasta Day and after New York, the place chosen this year for the big celebration was Brazil, third world producer of pasta. From the first congress in Rome in 1995, delegations from various countries once a year discuss together the theme of the collective promotion in favour of pasta consumption, exchanging their ideas and experiences.

The first event was successfully carried through, thanks to the efforts of the Steering Committee, consisting of representatives of the National Pasta Association (United States), of UN.A.F.P.A. and of the Associations of Venezuela and of Turkey.

The objective of World Pasta Day is "to draw the attention of the media and consumers to pasta. Communication should underline the fact that pasta is a global food, consumed in all five continents, having unquestionable merits, appropriate for a dynamic and healthy life style capable of meeting both primary food requirements and those of high-level gastronomy".

I wanted to participate as well in this celebration and i decided to cook a nice and easy spaghetti dish with courgettes and Taleggio cheese.

Last weekend in fact in Southbank in London, was organized a nice Cheese and Wine Festival, that i couldn't miss. Lots of different producers from France, England and Italy came to sell their products and the atmosphere was really great.

I had a little tour between the stands and the activities organized there: there were short wine taste courses, champagne stands, but also products from bakeries were been sold... and of course lots of cheese. I bought some french "Bleu d'Auvergne" to eat on some fresh bread as a starter and some italian Taleggio to cook a new pasta recipe.

I know that a very good combination is Taleggio with "Radicchio rosso" a kind of red chicory, very typical of the north east of Italy, but quite difficult to find here. So i decide to use another vegetable, easier to find and cook: the courgettes were the right choice because with their delicate taste, they can create a  good mix with the italian cheese without covering it or disappearing.

Wash and cut the courgettes in thin slices or even in little pieces and stripes. Put some oil in a pan with the shallot chopped finely. Let it cook a bit and when tender add the courgettes, salt and pepper. Wait for them to absorb some of the oil and when they start to fry, add a glass of white wine.

When evaporated, cover the pan and wait for the courgettes to cook and get mild and colored. In the meantime boil some water, then add salt and the spaghetti. If the courgette are getting too dry, add some milk or water from the pasta to let them cook and become tastier.

When the pasta is ready, add to the courgettes the Taleggio cut in little cubes and then the drained pasta. Toss it all a bit until the Taleggio is melted and mixed with the courgettes.

Serve it hot with some Parmesan, pepper or chili on top.

Enjoy the World Pasta Day!

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