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