The Joy of Scarpetta

Food is meant to be fulfilling and pleasurable and we should enjoy everything we eat, and the act of eating should be a delightful experience. With that being said, if you’re enjoying what you’re eating then you should not feel guilty about eating every last bite.

 Let me paint a picture for you… You’re sitting at the dinner table relishing in an outstanding dish of your favorite type of pasta. It’s so good you find it difficult to keep from inhaling it, yet at the same time you try to savor each and every bite. Suddenly your dish is empty and all the pasta is gone. Although you took pleasure in each bite, it still saddens you to see that there is none left.

Left in the bottom of your bowl is a small layer of sauce that your spoon and fork are unable to fully conquer. If you’re Italian than the next step should be innate. If you’re not Italian, please read carefully on how to fully polish off this dish.

Bread. Bread is the perfect option in this scenario. Scoop up anything left in the bottom of your bowl and relish in that last bite which Italians would call, scarpetta.

Southern Italians eat pasta with bread and do not try and hide lapping up every last drop. In northern Italy you may find this scenario far less frequently however Italians are Italians, and therefore scarpetta is a country-wide action that everyone utlizes for whole-hearted enjoyment.