Spaghetti and meatballs
{{Short description|Italian American pasta dish}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Spaghetti and meatballs
| image = Spaghetti and meatballs 1.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| alternate_name =
| country = United States
| region = New York City
| associated_cuisine = Italian American
| creator =
| course = Main course
| type =
| served =
| main_ingredient = Spaghetti, tomato, meatballs
| variations =
}}
File:SpaghettiandMeatballs.jpg
Spaghetti and meatballs is an Italian American pasta dish made with spaghetti, tomato, and meatballs.{{cite book |title=Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food |last=Dickie |first=John |year=2008 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1416554004 |pages=225–226 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nB6NtvQhYDYC&q=Spaghetti+with+meatballs&pg=PA225 |access-date=March 1, 2013}}
Originally inspired by similar dishes from Southern Italy, the modern version of spaghetti and meatballs was developed by Italian immigrants in New York City. It grew in popularity during the first half of the 20th century and is today considered a classic in Italian American cuisine both in New York City and the rest of the U.S.{{Cite web |last=Esposito |first=Shaylyn |date=6 June 2013 |title=Is Spaghetti and Meatballs Italian? |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/is-spaghetti-and-meatballs-italian-94819690/ |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=Smithsonian Magazine}}
History
When arriving in America, Italian immigrants brought their food traditions with them, but the availability of new ingredients and a better economy meant that traditional peasant foods from southern Italy evolved. This often included the addition of more expensive ingredients and a higher meat content, creating more plentiful meals. This way, spaghetti and meatballs soon became a popular dish among Italian immigrants in New York City.{{cite news|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/italian-american-food_n_5b364d53e4b08c3a8f69c37c|title=Italian-American Food Never Claimed To Be Italian, So You Can Stop Hating On It|author=Frankie Celenza|author-link=Frankie Celenza|date=2018-07-03|work=HuffPost|publisher=BuzzFeed|location=New York}}
Early references to the dish include:
- In 1888, Juliet Corson of New York published a recipe for pasta and meatballs and tomato sauce.{{cite book|title=Family Living on $500 a Year: A Daily Reference-book for Young and Inexperienced Housewives |first=Juliet |last=Corson |publisher=Harper & Brothers |year=1888 |page=43 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rSJBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA43}}
- In 1909, a recipe for "Beef Balls with Spaghetti" appeared in American Cookery, Volume 13.{{cite book |title=American Cookery |volume=13 |publisher=Whitney Publications |year=1909 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9hBAQAAMAAJ}}
- The National Pasta Association (originally named the National Macaroni Manufacturers Association) published a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs in the 1920s.{{cite book | title = America's Favorite Recipes: The Melting Pot Cuisine, Part 2 | date = 2009 | page = 157}}
- In 1931, Venice Maid in New Jersey was selling canned "spaghetti with meatballs in sauce".{{cite periodical |title=Venice Maid |periodical=Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office |volume=633 |page=712 |publisher=United States Patent Office |year=1950 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q58LGvQ6gnkC&dq=spaghetti+with+meatballs&pg=PA712}}
In Italy
The dish is widely popular in the United States albeit practically unheard of in Italy. Italian writers and chefs often mock the dish, together with many other popular examples of Italian-American cuisine such as chicken parmesan and Caesar salad, as pseudo-Italian or non-Italian.{{cite news |first=Filippo |last=Piva |title=Gli spaghetti con le polpette e gli altri falsi miti della cucina italiana all'estero |magazine=Wired Italia|location=Milan|publisher=Condé Nast Publications |date=29 July 2014 |url=https://www.wired.it/lifestyle/food/2014/07/29/piatti-non-italiani/ }}
See also
{{Portal|United States|Food}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- [https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1986/07/pasta/6226/ Origins of spaghetti and meatballs in the Atlantic]
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{Cookbook|Spaghetti and Meatballs}}
- [http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spaghetti-and-Meatballs/Detail.aspx Spaghetti and meatballs recipe on All Recipes.com]
{{Pasta dishes}}
Category:Italian-American cuisine