Kitchen Humanities: Silk Road III - Fresh Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Created July 20, 2024 by Kyle Cornforth

**Silk Road III: Fresh Pasta with Fresh Herbs***Rome and the Silk Road*

Summary

In this 6th grade humanities lesson, students prepare fresh pasta with Gremolata as they study the exchange of ideas, goods, and foods between Rome and other regions along the Silk Road. This is the third of four Silk Road lessons.

Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

Cite examples of Rome’s contribution to the Silk Road
Discuss the legacy of the Roman Empire
Make connections between the diets of historic cultures and foods we eat today

Assessments

During this lesson, students will:

Answer questions about the spread of Roman ideas, goods, and food throughout countries on the Silk Road
Cite examples of Roman art, architecture, technology, science, literature, languages, and law in modern society
Make connections between the diets of historic cultures and foods we eat today

Materials

For the Chef Meeting

Homemade Hand Rolled Pasta recipe
Gremolata recipe
Ingredients and tools for demonstration
Traditional Italian music recording
Music player
Visual aid

Ingredients

For the Homemade Hand Rolled Pasta

Pasta flour
Salt
Eggs
Olive oil

For the Gremolata

Italian parsley
Garlic
Lemon

Tools

Stockpot
Mixing bowl
Zester
Grater
Crinkle cutter
Spider strainer
Pasta crimper
Rolling pins
Bench scraper
Chefs’ knives
Paring knives
Cutting boards
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Forks

Equipment

Stove

Before You Begin

Collect all the tools and ingredients, and then distribute them to the tables
Gather supplies for the Chef Meeting
Create the visual aid
Copy the Homemade Hand Rolled Pasta recipe to hand out
Copy the Gremolata recipe to hand out
Select music and set up the audio player
Prepare pasta dough (if possible, use dough made in an earlier class)

Procedures

At the Chef Meeting

Play music as students silently enter the classroom.
Welcome students and introduce Rome as the final stop on their Silk Road journey. Remind them of the long trip through China and India, and ask for examples of important goods, ideas, and foods from each region that were traded on the Silk Road. Have students recall the foods they prepared in class when studying those regions.
Explain that Rome was the Great Empire of the Western world. It began in Italy and expanded to include most of Europe, North Africa, Egypt, and Syria over a period of 500 years. The Roman Empire became part of the Silk Road 200 years after China. Subsequently, silk became a symbol of wealth to the Romans.
Discuss some of the foods eaten during the Roman Empire. Introduce today's recipe, Homemade Hand Rolled Pasta with Gremolata.
Trace the Silk Road on the visual aid, and ask students to identify ideas, goods, and foods that Romans contributed to trade along its route.
Ask students to define the phrase cultural influence, and to identify examples of Roman influence that exist in our culture today. Point out the Roman contributions that are illustrated on the visual aid: our calendar, Roman numerals, planet names, elements of architecture, and features of the United States Government.
Explain that the written constitution, tripartite government, system of checks and balances, and civic duty requirement are all characteristics of the United States Government that were influenced by similar parts of the Government of the Roman Republic.
Review the recipes and demonstrate how to make the dough directly on the table or in a mixing bowl.
Ask students to wash their hands and join their table group.

At the Table

Meet with the table groups to review the recipes and assign jobs.
The table group should be divided into three working groups. The first group of students rolls, cuts, and cooks the pasta using previously prepared pasta dough. The second group of students prepares pasta dough for the following class. The third group of students grates cheese and prepares the Gremolata.
Set the table; eat; clean up.