Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world, and thanks to the geographical boundaries of the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps, it has remained largely unchanged throughout history. Even during the Roman Empire, Italy was pushed aside. Legions that had been abroad always knew when they had returned to the mother country. However, the history of Italian food goes far beyond the country’s borders.

For starters, look at the pasta. There is much historical debate about its origins, but many historians point to Marco Polo’s travels to the Far East, where he returned with all kinds of foreign spices and foods, as the place where pasta came from. The Chinese had cooked with noodles for centuries, and Marco Polo’s men found the same thing on his travels.

The tomato, now considered a staple in Italian cuisine, was long thought to be poisonous, in part because it is related to the deadly belladonna plant. Other Europeans found it palatable long before the first Italian cook simmered a bit to make tomato sauce.

The Greeks, neighbors and frequent military rivals of the Italians, had a great influence on Italian cooking, especially in the area of ​​spices and seafood preparation. Now a common dish on every Italian restaurant menu, calamari, or calamari, was originally something the Greeks were known to eat.

The Roman Empire’s incursions into North Africa were another fertile breeding ground for culinary expansion. The number of herbs, spices and vegetables that entered the Italian menu from Egypt and other African territories is countless.

Even today, the history of Italian food continues to evolve. However, much of the change is now taking place beyond the shores of Italy. In the United States, for example, chefs like Mario Batali have fused classic Italian dishes with American cuisine to create dishes that combine the best of both worlds. In cities and towns across the country, chefs are taking traditional ingredients and combining them in new ways. In what could perhaps be called a “full circle” journey for pasta, some Italian-Asian fusion restaurants are even beginning to evolve.

But perhaps the best way to get a full sense of Italian food history is to get out and eat a little. Better yet, eat a lot! Eating Italian food is always better than the history of Italian food.