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PASTA LA VISTA BABY!


A quality dry pasta should be able to stand on it's own merit

and is just as important as the complimentary sauce.

One should be able to enjoy the flavor of both.

The sauce should never drown the pasta.

"Grano Duro” or “Hard Grain”

Durum comes from the Latin word for “hard,” as it is the

hardest of all the wheat varieties.

Even though durum and bread flours are both high in protein which equals gluten, there are genetic differences between durum wheat and bread wheats, which can be seen in their behavior.

Durum semolina flour has more stiff, brittle proteins which

create a dense texture, making it ideal for pasta.

Bread flour has soft, flexible proteins which produces the

elasticity needed for forming bread dough.

Hydration also comes into play in the differences, as the

higher the water content, the more gluten development.

Durum wheat absorbs less water, enabling it to dry out

better, keeping the texture stiff and strong.

Taste, Shape, Texture, and Drying Techniques

There are four qualities to consider with pasta

Flavor & Strength

To begin, use 100% whole grain high protein durum wheat. When a product is described as “whole grain,” this means all three parts of the kernel are used—the bran, the germ and the endosperm.

Industrial refined products have both their bran and germ removed, thus most of the nutrients have also been removed.

A cheaper soft wheat is also used, that breaks down easily in water, often splitting toward the end of cooking; and giving

the water a cloudy aspect.

Shape

Choosing the correct shape of pasta can make a significant

difference in the overall satisfaction of the meal.

Using the wrong shape with even the best sauce, can definitely

lessen the appeal.

Short pasta shapes are the most versatile with their medley

of crevices "catching and retaining" any type of sauce.

* conchiglie, orecchiette, fusilli, shells, farfalle

Tubular shapes are good for heavier, chunkier sauces.

* penne, paccheri, rigatoni, macaroni

Rod shapes pair well with light sauces of olive oil or

tomato based.

* spaghetti, capellini , bigoli, vermicelli

Ribbon shapes are ideal for creamy and meaty sauces.

The wider the noodle, the heavier the sauce.

* pappardelle, lasagna, fettuccine, tagliatelle

Mini's are good for pasta salads, soups, and stews

* orzo, fregola, canestrini, stelle, anelli

Texture

Dry pasta made with bronze dies, with a long drying period,

is the traditional way Italians make pasta.

If one were to make two pasta doughs using the same recipe, with the same durum wheat, and the same drying technique, there still would be a different color for each when using different types of drawplates/dies to cut the pasta.

Rigate (ridged) Rough surface

Bronze die pasta produces a rough, speckled pale color

and textured surface that captures the sauce.

Industrial pasta extrusion that uses teflon, or plastic dies

creates a brighter yellow, shiny, smooth pasta.

This smooth pasta is unable to retain the sauce and leaves

much of it on the plate.

Teflon is the DuPont brand trademark for a a synthetic polymer called polytetrafluoroetheylene, a member of the perfluorinated chemical “family” of PFCs.

Perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA or C8

According to the American Cancer Society, “PFOA has the potential to be a health concern because it can stay in the environment and in the human body for long periods of time.

According to Environmental Working Group (EWG)

PFCs are associated with smaller birth weight and size in newborn babies, elevated cholesterol, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, liver inflammation and weakened immune defense against disease.

The C8 Health Project is the largest study ever of PFC health effects in people, using 69,000 study subjects:

Scientists concluded that this pilot analysis points to the association between PFOA and a wide range of adverse health effects including immune function, liver function, cholesterol (especially in children), and thyroid.

Drying Techniques

A slow drying process at low temperatures is crucial–anywhere from 24 to 76 hours, to produce a quality pasta, that will retain excellent flavor and nutrients.

This enables better digestibility in the body and promotes feeling fuller longer.

Industrial pasta makers concentrate on profitability and use

high heat to dry the pasta faster, with some even completing the process from start to finish in half a day, creating pastas that are lightweight and brittle.

"Grano tenero" or “tender grain”

Fresh pasta - egg + tender grain

Egg makes the pasta dough very elastic and gives it an ability

to be rolled very thinly, which is essential for stuffed pasta.

The egg is a substitute for the fact that there is less gluten in

the grain.

Fresh pasta cannot be preserved at length like flour pasta.

* ravioli, tortellini, cappelletti

Keep a keen eye on the details

1. A good quality pasta has a rough surface and pale color,

holds it’s shape and texture through cooking, and does not

make the water cloudy.

Cloudy water is a sign the pasta contains too much starch and doesn't have a high enough protein content.

2. Read..... Some of the mass produced bronze die pastas out there state using bronze dies but nothing about the length of time to dry or the quality of the durum wheat used.

Cooking tips:

There is no need to add olive oil to the pasta when cooking.

It won’t prevent the pasta sticking together, and will just end

up going down the drain.

Gradually releasing the pasta from the hand into the hot water, instead of just dropping in handfuls, will prevent sticking, as well as, stirring the pasta several times, as it cooks.

Many people over cook pasta. It should only be cooked to the

"al dente" stage, which means that it is mostly cooked with a small core of the center that is uncooked.

"Primo piatto"

In Italy, pasta is served as the first course, not the entire meal.

They are very "portion conscious" in their eating habits.

A typical meal consists of a a sequence of dishes, having a relatively healthy balance, with plenty of vegetables (fresh

and in season) and only olive oil and vinegar on their salads.

Bread is not served with pasta in Italy.

Italians, like other Mediterranean countries, know how to really enjoy the experience of eating. They socialize and relax, enjoying the company of family and friends.

They only eat til they are full, as their brain has the time

to send the signal. They don't gorge themselves.

They are not in a race to consume their meals.

Whereas, most Americans have fast paced lifestyles, always

in a hurry. Sadly, many do not even eat their meals together

as a family.

Texting seems to be the method of choice for communication

in many relationships.

Meals are wolfed down, while multitasking other issues

or watching tv.

Salads (if eaten)consist of iceberg lettuce(??)with heavy dressings that are loaded with questionable ingredients.

When eating pasta, their large entrees have few vegetables,

if any, and are drowned in heavy sauces, heaped with cheese (with rbST growth hormones) and usually accompanied by bread (questionable quality).

The "value" of leisurely eating (which prevents consuming

too many calories), temperance, and quality food are evident

in the differences between America and many European

countries.

I hope this was beneficial to you. My goal is to help provide

the information that you need to make wise lifestyle choices.

Ramona

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