A cynic would say World days and National days are a marketing ploy, which most can be, but overall, I feel they’re a love of something special and creator of community.

I was delighted to be invited to celebrate World Pasta Day with Francesco Mazzei at his Islington trattoria, Radici – which was an evening spent eating lots of pasta and drinking lots of wine.

The event was the 21st incarnation of World Pasta Day, with this edition surrounding future of pasta (pasta 2050) speculating what pasta would look like in 30 years’ time.

In 10 years, pasta consumption has doubled to 15 million tonnes per year globally.

Restaurants across the world taking part in World pasta day were asked to respond to various trends for the future of pasta such as I eat traditionally, I eat ethical and I eat different.

This iteration of world pasta day was also the launch of the week-long Al dente festival, the event was packed with flowing prosecco, white and red wine (because what else would you have to accompany pasta), all from Italy naturally.

For canapes, Caviar? Oyster? Lobster? No, Radici provided rather large, hearty canapés from Mortadella and Tomato Bruschetta on warm fresh ciabatta loaves coated in olive oil and flaked sea salt to large folds of succulent pork.

I overindulged on the salt-crusted tagliatelle ragu croquettes, something I had never had before but now fried pasta has changed my life, and the most succulent Meatballs in tomato sauce and a bed of mashed potato.

Furthermore, and the main event – we were treated to cacio e Pepe (rather simply cheese and pepper pasta) which is a favourite of mine as requires a decent amount of skill and, done correctly, the sauce is so silky it covers each spaghetti worm perfectly in glossy cheese sauce.

Rather ‘instagrammable’, the dish was made within a giant wheel of parmesan and finally topped with distinctive truffle.

 Mazzei also presented his pasta 2050 fusion dish interpreting the evolution of pasta as an Asian dumpling, ‘Raviolo’ with pork and shrimp and spices.

Looking forward to World Pasta Day 2020!