Make it fresh or boil it up dry (Luca Nebuloni / Flickr Creative Commons).

There are more than 600 shapes of pasta, and almost every country in the world its their own unique version of this Italian staple. While most people associate the word “pasta” with Italy, there has been evidence that points to central Asia as the first creators of noodles, thousands of years ago.  

The history of pasta is obscure, and many theories have been presented concerning the origin of pasta, but it is commonly believed that Marco Polo first introduced pasta to Italy during the 13th century, upon his return from China. 

Though early Spanish settlers were among the first to introduce pasta to America, it was Thomas Jefferson who made pasta popular. During a trip to Paris in the late 1700s, Jefferson ate and enjoyed pasta so much that he brought two cases worth of pasta back to the States! When his supply of pasta ran out, he had a friend from Naples send him more. 

Pasta became even more popular during the late 19th century, when a large group of Italian immigrants began moving to America, bringing their traditional cuisine with them. 

Today, most Americans make pasta using dried pasta packages sold at the grocery store. It’s quite easy to make, just follow the instructions on the back of the box: pour some dried pasta into a pot of boiling water and let it boil for a few minutes. Then voila! You have pasta. All you need to do after that is put some kind of sauce and meat on top and you have a delicious meal. 

Pasta is now known as one of the world’s most common, popular, and accessible foods. If you want to make it from scratch, all you really need is some flour, salt, and eggs. 

To celebrate "National Pasta Day," cook up and enjoy a delicious version of your favorite type of pasta, and eat it with your friends and family.

Here is the recipe for a delicious, easy-to-make, angel hair pasta topping. If spinach artichoke dip is something you love, this is the pasta recipe for you. Want something creamy and full of mushrooms? Then here, try this pasta topping recipe. Don't worry, I didn't forget about you meat lovers out there: here is a baked buffalo chicken pasta recipe for you to try. Cook them up and enjoy.

Reach Staff Reporter Janelle Cabuco here.