Pasta appears on menus worldwide, bringing people together whether it’s at a Trattoria in Italy or a kitchen table in India. To celebrate this food staple on World Pasta Day 2018, which falls on October 25, a select team of student chefs from the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) Dubai will demonstrate the inclusiveness of pasta in cuisines around the world. Dubai is the site of a special 20th-anniversary international gathering that will include pasta makers, industry members, scientists, media and other opinion leaders.

“Every country seems to have its own take on pasta. As the host venue for the 20th World Pasta Day, ICCA Dubai will attempt to showcase the exceptional inclusiveness of pasta as a world cuisine by displaying a selection of popular dishes from around the world with pasta as the core ingredient,” said Sunjeh Raja, Director & CEO, International Centre for Culinary Arts – ICCA Dubai.

Here is what’s on the menu on World Pasta Day 2018, including several vegetarian and/or vegan (Ö) options: 

• Dawood Basha with Vermicelli Rice – A mixture of cooked rice and vermicelli pasta served with Lebanese minced meatballs embedded with spices and braised in a tomato sauce. (Lebanon)
• Kushari (vegetarian/vegan) – A one-pot meal that combines lentils, macaroni pasta, and rice, topped with a tomato sauce that uses fried onions, Middle Eastern spice mix, and chickpeas, is a national favorite of Egypt. (Egypt)
• Vermicelli Upma (vegetarian/vegan) – A nutritious south Indian breakfast dish that consists of vermicelli pasta cooked with mustard seeds, nuts, curry leaves, spices, and chopped veggies especially carrots, beans, and onions. (India)
• Vermicelli Kheer (vegetarian) – A popular milk-based pudding that consists of vermicelli pasta sauteed brown in clarified butter, cooked in milk flavored with cardamom and topped with nuts & raisins. (Indian Subcontinent – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka)
• Curry Pasta Salad (vegetarian) – A salad of fusilli or penne pasta tossed with warmed spices such as Cayenne pepper, curry powder, chili powder, and Turmeric mixed with a touch of mayonnaise. (South Africa)
• Mac n Cheese (vegetarian) – A baked casserole of cooked macaroni pasta and cheese sauce is a favorite comfort food loved by both kids and adults equally. (America)
• Balaleet – (vegetarian/vegan without egg) – A popular breakfast dish that consists of vermicelli sweetened with sugar and flavored with cardamom, rose water and saffron. It is served with an omelet on top. (Middle East)

Formal pasta demonstrations will also be presented by Chef Mohammad Orfali, a Syrian Chef and Head of Culinary at the Discovery network’s FATAFEAT TV; Chef Luca Marchini, innovative chef and owner of renowned L’Erba del Re in Modena, Italy; and Chef Victoria Andrade, Chef Instructor, ICCA Dubai. They will fire up the senses by telling stories about pasta and sharing tastes of traditional and fusion cuisine.

As this diversity shows, whichever way you choose to have your pasta dished out, the possibilities are limitless.

For more information, please visit: http://2018.worldpastaday.org and www.pastaforall.info.