All Kitchen Recipes ? Pasta

It?s difficult to remember what we did for fast, satisfying meals before pasta became readily available. Because it keeps well and is quick to cook, cheap and tasty, pasta has become one of our most popular foods. Nutritionally speaking pasta is high in fibre and low in fat and calories ? it?s the sauce that makes pasta dishes fattening. If you?re watching your weight use low-calorie ingredients like vegetables, skimmed milk and low- or medium- fat cheese to replace full-fat equivalents, and keep the use of ingredients like olive oil, butter, olives and salami to a minimum.

Fresh and Dried Pasta?

Fresh pasta is now widely available in a good range of shapes and flavours, in supermarkets as well as delicatessens. It cooks in a matter of minutes and is considered superior to dried pasta. Of course, you can make your own at home following our recipe overleaf ? homemade pasta is incomparable. The best flour to use is a very fine-textured soft wheat flour known as ?type 00?. This yields a dough which is easier to stretch by hand. Durum or hard wheat semolina flour is only really suitable if you are using a pasta machine which flattens, rather than stretches the dough. Both types of flour are available from Italian delicatessens.

If you make pasta frequently, it is probably a good idea to invest in a pasta machine to do the rolling and cutting for you. One of these machines will take all the hard work out of rolling and get the dough really thin. It will also ensure that the dough is cut into neat, uniform shapes, so that it cooks evenly.

Dried pastas are available in a bewildering range of sizes, shapes and flavours. The best are made from 100% durum wheat (pasta di semola di grano duro); some include eggs (all?uovo).

Shapes, Sizes and Flavours

The choice of shape and size is a matter of personal taste but it?s worth bearing in mind that some varieties ? such as conchiglie (shells) ? are particularly suited to holding lots of sauce, while other chunkier shapes ? such as penne ? are good with robust vegetable-based sauces. Fine spaghetti and noodles are excellent with delicate fish sauces, while tiny ditalini are perfect for soups and young children?s meals. There are the classic recipes, such as macaroni cheese, spaghetti bolognese and spaghetti alia carbonara, but do experiment with your own combinations.

Coloured and flavoured pastas (fresh and dried) can add a new twist to a familiar meal. These are coloured with pureed vegetables; although the colours are fun the flavours are rarely pronounced. If you?re looking for extra flavour choose those flavoured with garlic and herbs. Wholemeal pasta is made with wholemeal flour and has a rather heavy chewy texture. If you?re trying to increase your intake of dietary fibre you may prefer to eat plain pasta with a high fibre vegetable-based sauce.

Quantities

It is difficult to give specific quantity guidelines for pasta since it really depends on how rich the sauce is, and even on the size and shape of the pasta ? some are easier and quicker to eat than others! Of course appetites, particularly for pasta, vary enormously, too. As a very rough guide allow about 75-125 g (3-4 oz) uncooked weight, per person.

?Cooking Pasta?

All pasta, fresh and dried, should be cooked until al dente - firm to the bite, definitely not soft, and without a hard, uncooked centre. The most important thing to remember is that pasta requires lots of fast-boiling salted water; a small pan containing insufficient water will produce unevenly cooked stodgy pasta. Some cooks add a little olive oil to the water in the belief that it will prevent sticking, but this is not necessary. Fresh pasta will cook in a few minutes, while dried pasta usually takes around 8-12 minutes. Whether you?re cooking fresh or dried pasta the time will depend on the size and shape; obviously thin shapes like capellini (angel?s hair) will cook more quickly than chunky or filled shapes. Manufacturers? recommended cooking times vary too. The only accurate way to determine when pasta is cooked is by tasting.

?Serving Suggestions?

Toss cooked pasta with the chosen sauce or butter as soon as it is cooked, or it will stick together as it cools. Always have warm plates or bowls ready as it quickly loses heat. If cooking pasta to serve cold, drain and rinse with cold water to prevent further cooking and rinse away surface starch. Toss with dressing while still slightly warm for optimum flavour. If you store the salad in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature before serving.

Parmesan cheese is a must for serving with hot pasta ? although some seafood pasta dishes are better without it. Do buy a piece of Parmesan; the taste is far superior to the ?soapy? ready- grated alternatives sold in tubs and packets. A well wrapped piece of Parmesan will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Rather than grating it on the fine side of the grater, try using a cheese slice or swivel potato peeler to shave off large flakes of cheese. But, dieters be warned, just one tablespoonful (15 ml) of grated Parmesan adds an extra 70 calories!

Should you find yourself with leftovers, the only satisfactory method of reheating pasta is in the microwave. Both dressed and plain pasta can be reheated in this way without loss of texture or flavour. To reheat plain pasta, toss with a little olive oil, cover and cook on HIGH for about 2 minutes. Alternatively, toss plain leftover pasta with a well flavoured dressing and salad ingredients and serve as a salad.

Source: http://allkitchenrecipes.com/pasta/

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