The dish I made for the midterm noodle project was home-made spinach-ricotta ravioli in a gorgonzola and spinach sauce. In this writing course, we have learned about the significance of food that lies beyond its edible properties, playing an important role in love, families, and cultures. While living in Germany for 14 years, my family would eat at a small, family owned, authentic Italian restaurant called Pizzeria Roma. At this restaurant, my sister and I would always eat this particular dish; it became an integral part of our weekend and, most importantly, an important connection to Italian food for us. After moving to the USA, my sister and I visited many Italian restaurants in hopes of finding this dish; however, we were unsuccessful. Hence, the reason I chose to make this dish is to bring back a culturally significant dish to my family. My sister and I were very excited to eat this recipe again after 3 years, and enjoyed it fully. Cooking this dish was more of an experience than a cooking project. As my sister and I worked together to knead, roll, cut, and fold together the ravioli, as well as cook the sauce, it brought back long-lost memories of being in Germany and at Pizzeria Roma. It also reinforced and strengthened our family bond as we performed an activity close to our hearts.

There is vital information about this dish that is important to mention in this project. One must be aware of the dish’s health information. It includes a variety of cheeses, including ricotta, parmesan, and gorgonzola, and also heavy cream. Cheese is high in cholesterol and saturated fats, which contribute to heart disease. Nevertheless, cheese is also a great source of calcium, protein, and a variety of vitamins, such as A, B-12, and K-2. One of the main components is spinach, which is high in fiber, vitamins such as A and C, and minerals, such as folic acid, calcium, and iron. Ravioli themselves are a good source of carbohydrates, yet the white flour ingredient can contribute to a fatty liver and bad cholesterol, as white flour is made by removing the inner germ layer and the outer layer of the grain. Hence, it has no fiber and slows digestion of food. Additionally, there is a specific time and occasion for eating ravioli. Vegetarian ravioli, which includes spinach-ricotta ravioli, is traditionally prepared on Fridays in Italy. Hence, my family decided to adopt this tradition and prepare this dish on Friday evening.

One of the main aspects of my dish is the blue cheese, gorgonzola: the primary ingredient of the pasta sauce. Gorgonzola is considered one of the most ancient cheeses; however, its ancient history is not well-defined. There are many contradicting theories surrounding the origins of gorgonzola and its beginning history. One existing theory dates the origins of gorgonzola to 879 AD in a town next to Milan, called Gorgonzola. Another theory points to Pasturo nella Valsassina, a town eminent for cheese production because of its ideal temperature range of 6 to 12 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, the town of Gorgonzola is now notable as the cheese’s home. Today, gorgonzola is prominent in both the Lombardy and Piedmont regions in Italy.

There are a couple of stories as to how gorgonzola was first created, two of which relate to the ancient and modern culture of gorgonzola. The first theory is that in the fall, cows would be transported from the Alpine mountain pastures to the lowland town of Gorgonzola, where grazing would occur. Farmers would use the milk from the cows to make cheese, and identified the growth of the bacteria Penicillium Glaucum that became gorgonzola. The second theory supports gorgonzola’s second culture of being a romantic food, which is followed by Italians and across other nations as well. In this story, a young boy accidentally drained cheese curds for the night after being disturbed by a beautiful woman. Over one month, this cheese adopted a blue color and tasted magnificent; this became known as gorgonzola cheese. This romantic story became ingrained into the cheese’s culture, as in ancient life and in modern day life as well, since it is common to incorporate gorgonzola into food on special occasions. Some of these special occasions include, but are not limited to, extended family dinners to celebrate love amongst family members, such as with my project, and romantic dinners to celebrate love between partners.

Today, gorgonzola is made and sold in two forms. The first form, called dolce, is sweet, processed for a shorter time, and has a milder taste; whereas the second form, called picante, is spicy, is processed for a longer time, and has a richer and thicker taste. Both forms have had a large impact on modern life. Previously, gorgonzola was eaten with polenta, however, now gorgonzola has become incorporated into many dishes in and outside of Italy, such as salad, pasta sauces, pizza toppings, and gorgonzola risotto. Although gorgonzola is widespread among many foods in the modern world today, gorgonzola is not widespread among different populations and class systems. The production of this cheese is complex and lengthy; one must curd the cheese, wait one month, then pierce the cheese, and wait for another three to six months. Hence, in Italy, gorgonzola is relatively expensive and often associated with the middle-upper class.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed the midterm project because it not only encouraged me to cook a complicated dish during quarantine, but also taught me a lot about the process of cooking. Previously, I had associated my favorite pasta dish, spinach-ricotta ravioli with gorgonzola sauce, only with authentic Italian restaurants, such as Pizzeria Roma in Germany. I never thought I could make a complex dish like this at home. This project proved me wrong. Additionally, I enjoyed this midterm project because I learned that cooking is not just a physical activity. Rather, as I hand kneaded, rolled, and cut the dough with my sister, I realized that cooking is a family experience. It is an experience that relieves stress, making the chef focus on the moment and preparing the dish alongside and for their loved ones. It is an experience that teaches you about culture: this process specifically taught me about the Italian culture of ravioli and the symbol of gorgonzola. Lastly, and most importantly, cooking is an experience that strengthens family bonds. As I worked with my sister to cut each ravioli, and reminisced with my family as we ate the meal in our backyard, I realized that food has a unique quality of bringing people together and reinforcing bonds that I sometimes forget to acknowledge and cherish.