Costa Cruises in collaboration with Barilla is launching a new initiative in the form of a tribute to World Pasta Day (www.worldpastaday2015.org), which is celebrated on October 25 at the Milan Expo.

On October 25, Costa says pasta will be the undisputed star onboard 12 Costa ships deployed on Mediterranean cruises and one on a world cruise.

 In the buffet restaurants, guests will be able to sample a range of dishes based on traditional Italian regional recipes, made using Barilla pasta.  Starting from October 25, this special program dedicated to the world’s favorite Italian staple will become a regular weekly appointment on all the company’s cruises, under the name of “Pasta in Festa.”

“This initiative further strengthens our partnership with Barilla, an Italian name synonymous with excellence,” said Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba.  “We chose Barilla because we share the same goals: to offer Italy’s finest and contribute to sustainable development.  For our guests, who come from over 200 different countries, we will be preparing pasta dishes inspired by the Italian tradition which are tasty but also ideal for a healthy diet and respectful of the environment.”

“Pasta tastes good, it’s good for you and its sustainable,”  said Barilla’s President Region Italy Francesco Del Porto “and we want to convey this, together with the emotion of conviviality and Italian style, to all Costa’s cruise guests.  We will stress ‘the 5 good reasons to love pasta*’ and let them try a series of delicious pasta dishes that are ‘Double Pyramid’ certified, i.e. they combine high nutritional value and low environmental impact.”

Thanks to the collaboration between Costa Corporate Chef Stefano Fontanesi and Academia Barilla Chef Marcello Zaccaria, together with the team of Barilla nutritionists and environmental experts, onboard the ships guests will be able to choose from a selection of six types of pasta prepared on the spot, like delicious caserecce with peppers, mezze maniche (tube-shaped pasta) with trevisano red chicory and walnuts on cream of Taleggio cheese, whole grain spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, capers, olives and monkfish or Sardinian gnocchi (dumplings) with red mullet and saffron.  Also on the menu are two cold pasta dishes, namely whole grain mezze penne alla mediterranea, rich in fiber, and an original fusilli pasta salad with chicken, balsamic vinegar and hazelnuts, all strictly “Double Pyramid”.

There will also be cooking demonstrations conducted by shipboard Chefs, who will reveal the tricks of the trade and give tips on how to make perfect pasta.