World Pasta Day 2015: Costa Cruises organizes a special event dedicated to pasta on board all its ships

In collaboration with Barilla, October 25th will mark the start of Pasta in Festa days aboard Costa Cruises' fleet , promoting a delicious, healthy, and sustainable culinary experience. Costa Cruises , in partnership with Barilla, one of the Italian cruise line's partners in the pursuit of excellence, has decided to launch a very "tasty" initiative as a tribute to World Pasta Day ( www.worldpastaday2015.org ), celebrated on October 25th during Expo Milan. On this special day, pasta will be the undisputed star aboard Costa's 12 ships deployed in the Mediterranean and on the exceptional Round the World voyage. In the buffet restaurants, passengers will be able to sample a range of dishes based on traditional regional Italian recipes, made with Barilla pasta. Starting October 25th, this special program dedicated to Italy's favorite ingredient will become a weekly event on all of the cruise line's ships, under the name Pasta in Festa . “ This initiative further strengthens our partnership with Barilla, an Italian name synonymous with excellence ,” commented Neil Palomba, CEO of Costa Cruises. “ We chose Barilla because we share common goals: to offer the best of Italy and contribute to sustainable development. For our passengers, who come from 200 different countries, we will prepare pasta dishes inspired by Italian tradition that are not only delicious but also ideal for a healthy and environmentally friendly diet .” “Pasta tastes good, is good, and sustainable,” said Francesco Del Porto, President of Barilla in Italy, “and we want to convey this, along with the feeling of conviviality and Italian style, to all guests on the Costa fleet. We will highlight '5 good reasons to love pasta*' and offer a range of delicious pasta dishes certified under the Double Pyramid, meaning they combine high nutritional value with low environmental impact.” Thanks to the collaboration between Costa's Corporate Chef, Stefano Fontanesi, and the Chef of the Barilla Academy, Marcello Zaccaria ( www.academiabarilla.it ), along with Barilla's team of expert nutritionists and environmental specialists, passengers on board the fleet can choose from a selection of six types of pasta prepared on-site, such as delicious caserecce with peppers, mezze maniche (tube-shaped pasta) with Trevisano red chicory and walnuts in a Taleggio cheese cream sauce, whole-wheat spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, capers, olives, and monkfish; or Sardinian gnocchi with red mullet and saffron. The menu also includes two cold pasta dishes: whole-wheat penne alla mediterranea , rich in fiber, and an original fusilli pasta salad with chicken, balsamic vinegar, and hazelnuts, all prepared according to the Double Pyramid model. There will also be cooking demonstrations led by the onboard chefs, who will reveal their secrets and offer tips on how to make the best pasta. World Pasta Day and Pasta in Festa days will also offer the opportunity to participate in engaging activities designed to raise passenger awareness of pasta's great nutritional properties, as well as its social and environmental benefits. These principles are shared by both companies and reflected in Barilla's " Good for You, Good for the Planet " plan. A video shown in the cabins will explain the details of this shared commitment and the scientific principles of the Double Pyramid to guests, while special kiosks in the buffet restaurants will reveal five good reasons to love pasta and debunk some myths, providing details on the recipes and ingredients of pasta dishes, as well as their nutritional value, making them ideal for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Informational materials will also be available onboard, focusing on the relationship between nutritional and environmental sustainability, according to Barilla's Double Pyramid model. This model, with its underlying values ​​accepted and shared by Costa Cruises, reveals that the most environmentally friendly foods—such as pasta, rice, fruit, and vegetables—are often the healthiest for human consumption, while many foods that are harmful to our bodies are also harmful to the environment. * 5 good reasons to love pasta: 1) Pasta is good for you and the planet : Pasta has a high sustainability index, placing it at the base of the Double Pyramid. 2) Pasta is one of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet : Pasta is a staple food in the Mediterranean diet, considered one of the most balanced diets in the world. 3) Pasta is fat-free and low in sodium : To retain these properties, it's important not to use too much salt when cooking it or too much sauce when serving it. 4) Pasta doesn't make you fat : What makes you fat is excessive calorie intake. 5) Pasta is tasty and brings people together : pasta has been voted the world's favorite food; it goes well with almost anything and is liked by almost everyone.