Since arriving in Italy, I've realized that pasta is much more than just a popular Italian dish. It is something people can enjoy in many different settings, whether at an inexpensive restaurant, an upscale dining spot or a student cafeteria. I wanted to compare three pasta dishes I tried to see how the ingredients, prices and dining experiences differed.
I tried three different pasta dishes while living in Italy. The first was a simple and inexpensive pasta al pomodoro, made with pasta and tomato sauce. The second was an upscale carbonara, a Roman pasta dish traditionally made with eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale and black pepper. The third was penne with olives and anchovies served in my dorm's cafeteria. Although all three dishes used pasta, each had a different flavor and reflected a different part of my experience living and eating in Italy.
I enjoyed seeing how different pasta could taste depending on where I ate it. The inexpensive pomodoro showed me that a simple meal can still be satisfying without costing much. The upscale carbonara felt like a more special dining experience, and I appreciated how rich and flavorful the dish was.
