National Pasta Day 2017: 6 Places Where You Can Find Delicious Pasta

Pasta lovers can revel in the company of their favorite dish all the more Tuesday, as it is National Pasta Day!

Believe it or not, estimates of the number of pasta shapes range from 600 to 100, and the comfort food can be both enjoyed as a main course or as a side dish.

The origins of pasta are ancient. Though many people believe that Marco Polo — Venetian merchant, explorer, and writer — discovered pasta in Asia and brought it back to Italy, this is not true.

In fact, in 1279, a will drafted by one Ponzio Bastone was found bequeathing a storage bin of macceroni, while Polo was still in the Far East, according to National Pasta Day website.

Almost every country has its own version of pasta. For instance, in Germany and Hungary, it is called spaetzle and the Greeks Greece call orzo.

In Poland, the people consume pocket-like pierogi and Ashkenazi Jewish families make kreplach dumplings, according to Tori Avey, a food blogger who authors "The History Kitchen" column for PBS Food.

The credit of introducing pasta goes to former President Thomas Jefferson, who had tasted it in Naples, Italy. During the time, he was the American ambassador to France. In 1789, he brought the first pasta machine, along with crates of macaroni, back to the U.S.. It became a household food in North America in the late 19th century after Italian immigrants started moving into the country, National Pasta Day website said.

In the U.S., pasta is usually prepared and served similar to how it is done in Italy with the exception of the all-American spaghetti and meatballs.

To make the day memorable, check out these places offering great deals on pastas.

1) Head to Little Nonna's — an Italian restaurant — at 1234 Locust St. in Philadelphia to satiate your taste buds. You must try their pan seared gnocchi with wild mushroom, roasted celery root, blistered tomato, watercress and truffle butter.

2) You can also choose to visit Barbuzzo — a mediterranean restaurant — at 110 S. 13th St. in Philadelphia where you must try the fazzoletti pasta with roasted butternut squash, cauliflower, house made pancetta, sheep’s milk ricotta and walnuts.

3) A lunch at Faro restaurant at 436 Jefferson St.Brooklyn, New York, will be delicious as you can taste dishes like Tortelli with sheep’s milk ricotta, Swiss chard, and Aleppo cream ($15), Candele with salt meadow lamb ragu, capers, and fresh lemon zest ($22), and Caramelle with lima bean succotash and corn pudding ($15), according to CBS New York.

4) Try the Cacio e Calabrese Pepe at the Sosta at 186 Mott St. New York, in which spaghetti is perfectly cooked along with house-made ricotta and Calabrian chili.

5) In Portland, you can find tasty pastas at Gumba restaurant located at NE Alberta St & NE 23rd Avenue.

6) Luce restaurant located at 2140 E Burnside St, Portland, will serve you with good quality Italian noodles.