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Pasta made from semolina has a mellow flavor and a nice "bite" when cooked. Count on about two cups of sauce per pound.
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Pasta is a broad term used to describe a wide variety of noodles
made from a dough of durum wheat flour (
semolina), salt, and a liquid (water,
milk and/or
eggs). One of the most-loved foods in the world, almost every country
has their own pasta specialty. The Germans make
spaetzle, the Poles
enjoy
pierogi and there are hundreds of
rice- or soy-based noodles used
throughout the Orient (
see soba; udon).
A Little Bite of History
Though it's been said that Marco Polo brought noodles to Italy after
returning from his travels in China, archaeological studies suggest that
noodles likely originated in Central Asia as far back as 1000 BC. It seems pasta existed in Asia and Europe long before Polo's
expeditions.
Varieties, Buying and Storage Tips
DRIED
Factory produced and fully dried before being packaged, dried pasta
is typically made with just semolina flour, water and
salt. However,
it can also be made with different types of
flours and
seasonings.
Dried pasta is readily available in many shapes and sizes at grocery
stores and Italian markets. When buying, check the package to make sure
the pieces are
unbroken. If the noodles look crumbly or dusty, choose another package.
As a general rule, imported pasta is superior to American
factory-made products.
Most dried pasta can be stored indefinitely in an airtight glass
or plastic container in a cool, dark place. Dried
whole-wheat
pasta is the exception—it may turn rancid if stored for longer than
one month.
FRESH
Often made with eggs instead of water, fresh pasta has a brighter color
and flavor and a higher nutritional content. It's made fresh daily at
Italian specialty stores and can also be found refrigerated or frozen
at most supermarkets. Though not available in as many shapes and sizes
as dried, fresh pasta offers a greater variety of flavor choices.
There are also many wonderful recipes for making your own fresh pasta at home.
When buying, check the date on the package to buy the freshest available. Make sure the pasta looks fresh—not dry or moldy.
More delicate than dried, fresh pasta should be wrapped airtight and
refrigerated for up to five days. It can also be frozen for up to four
months. Frozen pasta can go straight from the freezer into boiling
water.
Pasta Flours and Flavors
Whether buying at the market or making at home, the flour and flavor
combinations for pasta are seemingly endless. The most commonly used
flours are
unbleached white flour and
semolina, though
whole wheat
is
gaining popularity as healthier, higher-
fiber option. Light brown
to medium tan in color, whole-wheat pasta is heavier in texture and
nuttier in flavor. Pasta dough can also be made from buckwheat,
corn or
rice flours.
When it comes to flavor, some pastas (like ravioli and tortellini) have
meat or cheese fillings, while others are colored and flavored with
additives. Popular ingredients include chopped
spinach (green), beet
juice or
tomato paste (red), and
lemon zest (light yellow) as well as
garlic,
saffron,
chile pepper and even
chocolate.
Shapes
Pasta comes in hundreds of different shapes and sizes, and to make
matters more confusing, different manufacturers sometimes use
different names for the same shape. To simplify things, here are
some of the most commonly available:
angel hair (capelli d'angelo)--long, extremely fine strands
bucatini--hollow, spaghetti-like strands
cannelloni--large, round tubes for stuffing
farfalle--bow- or butterfly-shaped
fettuccine ("little ribbons")--thin, flat egg noodles about 1/4" wide
fusilli ("little springs")--spiral-shaped spaghetti-length noodles; also cut to shorter lengths
gemelli ("twins")--two short spaghetti stands twisted together
gnocchi ("dumplings")--little balls made with potatoes, flour or farina
lasagne--long, very broad noodles with straight or rippled edges
linguine ("little tongues")--very narrow (1/8" or less) ribbons
macaroni (maccheroni)--tube shaped pasta of varying lengths
mostaccioli ("little mustaches")--2" pasta tubes
orecchiette ("little ears")--tiny discs
orzo--grains the size and shape of rice
pappardelle--wide noodles with rippled sides
pastina--various tiny shapes generally used for soups
penne ("quills")--diagonally cut tubes with either smooth or ridged (rigate) sides
ravioli--square-shaped stuffed pasta
rotini--short (1 to 2") spirals
seashell (conchiglie)--shell-shaped pasta
spaghetti--long, thin round strands
tortellini--small stuffed twisted pasta; tortelloni is a larger version
vermicelli--very thin strands of spaghetti
ziti--slightly curved tubes (range from 2 to 12")
Cooking Tips
• Use three to four quarts of water per pound of pasta. When the
water reaches a rapid boil, season with one teaspoon salt for each
quart, then add the pasta.
• Rub vegetable oil around the edge of your pot to prevent boil-overs.
• Cook pasta until al dente—tender, but still firm to the bite.
Start testing for doneness one to two minutes before the recommended
package time.
• In general, thin or smooth noodles get a light sauce; sturdier noodles can handle a chunkier sauce.
• Pasta cools very quickly. Warm your serving bowls (try a 250ºF oven for 10 minutes) before plating pasta.
Try one of our favorite pasta recipes:
Basil Pasta
Pasta E Fagioli
Gemelli Pasta with Clams, Scallops and Shrimp
