Giada De Laurentiis' Favorite Childhood Pasta Is Something Out Of Elf

Born in Italy and raised in the United States, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis comes from a long line of pasta people. Her great-grandparents owned a pasta factory outside of Naples, and her grandfather, who was literally a pasta peddler in the streets of Italy, went on to open an Italian restaurant in America.

This family clearly knows pasta, so you can bet De Laurentiis' childhood was full of authentic dishes. But the pasta dish the Food Network star loved the most as a kid wasn't a traditional Neapolitan dish like pasta al limone or a classic childhood favorite like lasagna bolognese. Instead, she told Bon Appétit that she was passionate about spaghetti covered in melted chocolate.

It's like that scene in the Christmas movie "Elf" — you know what part. It's when Buddy (the star of the film, played by Will Ferrell) tops his giant pile of spaghetti with sweets, including M&M's, mini marshmallows, maple syrup, and chocolate sauce. The question is: do we trust De Laurentiis on this pasta pairing? Is chocolate on pasta too out there, or are these two onto something?

While this may be a new (and somewhat shocking) concept for many, chocolate and pasta are definitely nothing new in Italy. On the contrary, the combination has been around for ages. Whether it was infused into a sauce or paired with meat, there are written recipes for chocolate-studded pasta dishes that date all the way back to 1680.

Italians have been experimenting with chocolate in their dishes — both sweet and savory ones — for longer than anyone. Ancient recipes include lasagna in a sauce that's made with chocolate, almonds, and anchovies, or pappardelle served in a chocolatey rabbit ragu. Today, you'll find dishes in Italy like chocolate-filled ravioli or pasta with gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and dark chocolate. These chocolatey creations exist for a reason: the complex flavors and aromas of dark chocolate add a dimension and deliciousness to every dish.

Chef and owner of Cibreo restaurant in Florence put it best when he told Italy Magazine: "Chocolate for dinner? Yes! It's every child's dream, a dream we Italians have made come true for centuries!" Turns out it's a dream that came true for Giada De Laurentiis, too.

Giada De Laurentiis says she'll still indulge in some spaghetti with melted chocolate nowadays. It's also clear that this childhood favorite has inspired some of her own dishes. Her lifestyle brand Giadzy boasts several chocolate pasta recipes, including Cheesy Chocolate Ravioli and Chocolate Fettuccine with Pancetta.

In another Giadzy recipe for Chocolate Pasta, the chocolate is mixed into the noodles themselves. To make the pasta, De Laurentiis combines cake flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, egg yolks, and salt, and then slowly adds olive oil and water until a dough is formed.

After kneading and letting the dough chill in the fridge for a bit, she runs it through a pasta machine to flatten it and make fettuccine noodles, also dusting them with more cocoa powder so they don't stick to each other. All that's left to do is cook until al dente. Finally, you can enjoy the dish however you'd like.