Pasta

Ingredients Main ingredient in pasta is flour, usually wheat flour. Most commercial dried pastas are made from semolina flour, a hard-grain wheat flour that is high in proteins that form gluten. The other main ingredient in pasta is a liquid such as water or eggs. Oil is sometimes added to pasta dough to give it a richer texture.

There are 100 varieties of pasta Coming in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. Different shapes make them ideal for different sauces. A thinner tomato-based sauce like marinara is ideal for angel hair pasta, while Alfredo sauce adheres well to fettuccini.

Fresh vs. dried Fresh pasta cooks faster than dried pasta.

Quality Characteristics of Pasta Two ways to determine quality of pasta: Flour: Semolina produces the best dry pasta. Dry pasta should be made with 100% semolina flour. Freshness: Pasta should be hard and brittle. It should snap cleanly instead of bending easily.

Pasta and Nutrition All pasta products are high in carbohydrates and the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin. The protein in pasta varies based on the amount of semolina it contains. Semolina is high in protein, so the more semolina, the more protein the pasta provides. On average, one serving of pasta contains 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of fat, 3 g. of protein, and .65 milligrams of iron

Purchasing Pasta Dried pastas: available in tube, flat, and shaped forms. Tubes and shaped pastas are generally not available fresh Should be brittle and easy to break, the surface should look dull or be marked with small pits or scars because sauces cannot soak into smooth, shiny, dried pasta. Available in a variety of flavors: Plain, tomato, spinach, tomato-dill, spinach-herb, carrot-ginger, etc.

Fresh pastas: Can be made in the kitchen although it is a labor-intensive process. Can be difficult to get a consistent product. Can be purchased from a pasta supplier or frozen. Also can come in a variety of flavors, such as spinach, tomato-garlic, and whole-wheat.

Storing Pasta Dried pasta can be stored in a cool, dry place for several months. Temperature should be between 50-70 degrees F. Fresh pasta must be tightly wrapped and kept refrigerated. Should be used within a few days after it has been made. It can also be kept in the freezer to be used within a few weeks.

Cooking Pasta Some pasta dishes require the pasta to be fully cooked, others require pasta to be partially cooked and added to a casserole with a variety of other ingredients.

Pasta can be cooked two ways: by boiling and by baking. Boiling pasta is a simple process. Both fresh and dried pastas can be boiled. Baked pasta is usually one of the main ingredients of a casserole dish, such as stuffed manicotti or lasagna. Even when pasta is baked, the noodles are partly cooked first by boiling.

Boiling Pasta When boiling pasta you need to use enough water to cook it properly. Dried pasta can be made when you want to eat it or can be cooked in large amounts ahead of time. Fresh pasta cannot be cooked too far ahead of time because it cooks quickly and becomes very soft.

1. Use a large enough stockpot for the pasta to move around freely. (1 gal. of water for each pound of pasta) 2. Add about 1 tsp. salt per gallon of water The pasta will absorb the salt and water during cooking. 3. Bring the water to a full boil and add the pasta 4. Stir the pasta occasionally to help keep pasta from sticking together 5. Test the pasta for doneness. 6. When it is done, strain it into a colander/strainer. 7. If eating immediately do not rinse, if serving at a later time, run tap water over it to halt the cooking process and keep it from sticking together.

Baking pasta When baking pasta in a sauce, the flavors blend during the baking process. Examples of baked pasta: manicotti, lasagna, macaroni and cheese In most of these dishes, the pasta is partially cooked before combining it with the rest of the ingredients and baking it.

Determining Doneness It is important to cook is al dente. Al dente: “To the bite” or “to the tooth” If pasta is cooked past this stage, it quickly becomes soft and mushy. To test for doneness you can either bite a piece, or cut it with a fork. If it is done it will be tender when chewing and cut easily with a fork.

Stuffing Pasta Manicotti, cannelloni, and ravioli are usually stuffed. Filling ingredients may include cheese, meat, seafood, poultry, or vegetables. Meat fillings must be completely cooked before stuffing into pasta. This is because the time it takes to cook the pasta may not be enough time to cook the meat.