It has undeniable versatility, it's nutritious, inexpensive and quick to prepare. Pasta is made with a combination of flour, water and sometimes eggs and oil. Durham wheat is found in many dried pastas and is sometimes considered the better quality pasta. If you keep your dried pasta in an airtight container it will last 6 months unless it is a whole wheat variety, in which case the shelf life is about one month. Fresh pasta works well with rich sauces like an Alfredo Sauce because it tends to soak up the sauce. Dried pastas are a better match for full-bodied sauces like a tomato based sauce that incorporates meat or other hearty ingredients.
Cooking pasta is easy. Just figure out how much you'll need and use a measure of about 5 oz per person although you could get by with only 4 oz. That means you'll need 16 oz or a pound of pasta to feed a family of four like mine. Then just bring a large pot of cold water to boil. I like to use filtered water to prevent any change to the taste of pasta.
Sometimes cooks add a tablespoon of salt to the water before they add the pasta. Others like to add a tablespoon of oil. I tend to add both. I like to use Olive oil for my oil. Don't overcook your pasta! When fully cooked your pasta should still be firm. This may take anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes depending on how much pasta you cook at a time. Be sure to drain your pasta fully. If you didn't add any oil in the cooking water, then you can add a bit now so the pasta does not stick together. Then you can place it on a platter and cover it with sauce or you can pour the sauce over the pasta in the pan, mid thoroughly and then place on a platter or just serve it up on plates.
Pasta shapes seem almost limitless. Complement the pasta shape to the sauce. For instance, Fusilli - spiral shaped - holds sauce well. Anelli - little ringlets and Stellini - tiny stars work well in soup. Bow Tie look terrific in a pasta salad. Some other shapes to consider: Orzo - rice shaped, Fettuccine - ribbons, Orecchietto - round shells, Rotelle - wagon wheels, Ditali - small, thick ringlets, Ravioli and Tortellini - filled pasta shaped in squares and rounds, Angel Hair - delicately thin spaghetti like noodles, and lasagna - long, wide ribbons. The list does go on and consider trying them all in one way or another for the variety they can bring to your meal.
Favorite pasta sauces include: basic Marinara to which you can add mushrooms, meatballs, sausages, clams etc. Strongly flavored sauces like garlic Pesto and fiery Arrabbiata. Rich creamy sauces like Alfredo to which you can add chicken or shrimp and Carbonara with its egg and bacon base.
No matter how you decide to pair your pasta, sauce and extra ingredients you almost can't loose. No one will walk away hungry. Don't forget you eat with your eyes first, so garnish your pasta with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese, chopped parsley or something else that will taste and look fantastic.
Cooking pasta is easy. Just figure out how much you'll need and use a measure of about 5 oz per person although you could get by with only 4 oz. That means you'll need 16 oz or a pound of pasta to feed a family of four like mine. Then just bring a large pot of cold water to boil. I like to use filtered water to prevent any change to the taste of pasta.
Sometimes cooks add a tablespoon of salt to the water before they add the pasta. Others like to add a tablespoon of oil. I tend to add both. I like to use Olive oil for my oil. Don't overcook your pasta! When fully cooked your pasta should still be firm. This may take anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes depending on how much pasta you cook at a time. Be sure to drain your pasta fully. If you didn't add any oil in the cooking water, then you can add a bit now so the pasta does not stick together. Then you can place it on a platter and cover it with sauce or you can pour the sauce over the pasta in the pan, mid thoroughly and then place on a platter or just serve it up on plates.
Pasta shapes seem almost limitless. Complement the pasta shape to the sauce. For instance, Fusilli - spiral shaped - holds sauce well. Anelli - little ringlets and Stellini - tiny stars work well in soup. Bow Tie look terrific in a pasta salad. Some other shapes to consider: Orzo - rice shaped, Fettuccine - ribbons, Orecchietto - round shells, Rotelle - wagon wheels, Ditali - small, thick ringlets, Ravioli and Tortellini - filled pasta shaped in squares and rounds, Angel Hair - delicately thin spaghetti like noodles, and lasagna - long, wide ribbons. The list does go on and consider trying them all in one way or another for the variety they can bring to your meal.
Favorite pasta sauces include: basic Marinara to which you can add mushrooms, meatballs, sausages, clams etc. Strongly flavored sauces like garlic Pesto and fiery Arrabbiata. Rich creamy sauces like Alfredo to which you can add chicken or shrimp and Carbonara with its egg and bacon base.
No matter how you decide to pair your pasta, sauce and extra ingredients you almost can't loose. No one will walk away hungry. Don't forget you eat with your eyes first, so garnish your pasta with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese, chopped parsley or something else that will taste and look fantastic.
About the Author:
Want to find out more about healthy home cooking recipes, then visit Lisa Andrews' site, www.homecookingconnection.com on how to make fun and delicious dips and appetizers like artichoke dip or spinach dip.
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