Hey there -- not discouraging further answers, but this is a popular topic in this sub. Edit: Something seems to have broken that search string. Try these answers:

• How did the Tomato come to be such an integral part of Italian cuisine?

• So if tomatoes are not native to Pre-Columbian Italy, what sauce did they use for their pastas?

• What was Roman/Early Middle Ages food like in Italy?

• What was Italian food like before they were introduced to the tomato?

• When did "traditional Italian" cuisine start and what made it happen? The Roman food is almost nothing like it.

The links we're very, very helpful. Thanks! And in that second link,not has links to even more discussions, so I learned a lot.

I'm curious why this does seem to be so popular. I see this topic at least once a month.