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If you thought the culture of eating with your hands is intrinsic to India and a few other Southeast Asian countries alone, we have an interesting story for you here. Ever heard of the ‘macaroni eaters’? Between the 17th and 19th Centuries, Naples in southern Italy witnessed the emergence of a curious street food tradition, where vendors sold inexpensive yet filling portions of what they called ‘macaroni’ to hungry local customers. Mind you, during those days, the word ‘macaroni’ was used more like an umbrella term for all forms of pasta. So, what people were actually served in their bowls and plates was spaghetti. What created a spectacle, however, was the dexterity with which the ‘macaroni eaters’ would lower handfuls of the noodles into their mouths and swallow them in one go!
Wikimedia Commons (Giorgio Sommer)
This, in turn, boosted the fortune of pasta sellers, as the number of these vendors grew manifold during the 18th Century. One could see fresh pasta being laid out near the stalls for drying. Durum wheat was often used to make these pasta sheets. In terms of cooking the ‘macaroni’, huge pots were used to boil the noodles over a charcoal fire. To give pasta a tasty spin, pork grease and salt were added to the water. Then came the grated cheese and tomato sauce in the 19th century, as preferred choices for seasoning. The trend somewhat dampened in the 20th century when pasta-eating again became an indoor affair and forks were favoured over handfuls.
Cut to present times, Cuoppo Napoletano, Pizza a Portafoglio, Fried Pizza, Montanara, Zeppulelle and Frittatina di Pasta e Panuozzo are among the top street food favourites in Naples.
