Pasta: The Italian Staple in an American Soil

As the low-carb craze fizzles away, pasta, the indispensable Italian dish, ought to have a pleasant repackaging to the American diet. With the numerous types of pasta and the variety of possible sauces, it is not surprising to be faced with a plethora of advices on how to cook and serve such staple. However, there are a few basic rules so that, whether you are a pasta perfectionist or a mere noodle novice, you can now take pleasure in relishing your rigatoni, which has lately been in hiatus from the dining table, much thanks to the fad created by Dr. Atkins.

Fresh & Dried Pasta

Pasta can either be hard and dry (pasta secca) or freshly made (pasta fresca). The former consists of semolina and durum wheat while the latter is of eggs and flour. Do you know that Italian law dictates that pasta secca must be made with a hundred percent durum semolina flour? This has been the norm embraced by top pasta makers, only the worst uses otherwise. This is proof that pasta is indeed, a serious business in Italy.

Pasta Shapes & Sizes

An array of pasta shapes and sizes can be found in almost any part of the world. It could be long, short, or filled. These varieties are versatile, ergo, can adapt to different sauces and mixtures although certain pasta pairs much better with specific sauces. Generally, thick and chunky sauces adhere well to pasta that have ridges or lining in them. Tubular pasta is also suited for this specific type of sauce. As for the lighter, more delicate sauces, this is more suited to unlined or stuffed pasta. But bear in mind that there are always exceptions to the rule.

The Ingredients

Among the Americans, there is usually the misconception that marinara sauce is the traditional accompaniment to any pasta dish. Tomatoes may be ubiquitous, but a lot of Italian pasta specialities do not have tomatoes in them. For the Italian aficionado, it is basic knowledge that cuisines created in Italian kitchens require that only fresh ingredients be used. With that said, pasta recipes change with the season to fully enjoy nature’s bounty. You may opt to add mushrooms or beans; add a few knobs of butter or a few splashes of cream. You can even throw in a vegetable medley for a hearty meal. The only rule is that it should be fresh and in season.

The Rules

Pasta is a staple tradition that may be savoured in many ways; alla amatriciana, alla carbonara, al pomodoro, but there is one way people don’t appreciate it: overcooked! Pasta that has no bite in it is not only upsetting but utterly horrible as well. And this is not just from an Italian’s POV. In here, timing is essential. Time. Al dente (literally means to the tooth) is a term used to describe a food that is entirely cooked but not mushy and overdone. Cooking al dente necessitates one to taste (and bite on) the pasta a couple minutes earlier before the package tells that it is ready. So unless you would want to serve mush for dinner, better keep an eye on your timer.

Simplicity. Sauces are meant to coat the pasta and not to drown them. The sophistication found in Italian cuisine lies in the plainness of the method using a couple of cleverly combined ingredients and herbs that compliment the pasta and not over power the same. Controlled Portion. Italians do eat a lot of carbs, but they are happy, healthy individuals. And it is also worth mentioning that they consume carbs balanced with proteins and fats. In Italy, pasta is usually eaten as primo piatto (first course), meaning the main course, which is usually a healthy fish dish or a lean meat, has yet to come. With this knowledge, you may want to try your hands on cooking and serving the perfect pasta.

Buon Appetito!

Italian food recipes

Italian food is world famous, and perhaps one of Italy’s greatest contributions to the world today is Pizza. Made quite by chance, Pizzas are now synonymous with take away food. However there is a lot more to Italian cooking than Pizzas and a true Italian connoisseur will tell you that a Pizza is perhaps the most basic of Italian cuisine. If you are looking for a truly authentic Italian experience, then a few authentic Italian dishes like Bruschetta Al Pomodoro are far more exquisite and enjoyable.

In fact after Pizza the most popular Italian dish is pasta, with so many types of pasta available today every single type has its own distinctive flavour and method of preparation. If you love Italian food then the best way to savour it is to cook it yourself, the reason is that so called ‘authentic’ Italian restaurants are simply offering fast food in plusher surroundings, only a handful of Italian restaurants offer authentic Italian cuisine.

To begin with the first thing you need to get a hold of is a good recipe book or a website that offers Italian recipes, a good place to start is www.italianfoodrecipes.eu, the site has some rare recipes, and the cooking techniques are all authentic Italian. In addition to finding the right site you also need to understand which recipes to begin with and which one’s to try later. Not all Italian recipes are designed for beginners and you should read through the recipe, and only when you are comfortable with the recipe should you start working on it.

Another thing, that is as important as the recipe is the ingredients you use, the best place to start buying ingredients is from a store that stocks Italian ingredients, using olive oil and virgin olive oil can make all the difference in Italian cooking. In fact a common mistake most novices make is assuming that substituting ingredients in Italian cooking is okay, this is not true, even in Pizza the kind of cheese you use makes a lot of difference. If you are looking for a really authentic Italian experience, you should make sure all the ingredients you use are exactly as they are mentioned in the recipe.

Italian cooking is nothing short of an art form, and some of the most delicious and exotic dishes are from the homeland of Italy, in fact the most impressive part about Italy is that every region in Italy has its own distinctive dish, even if a dish is common the style of making the dish varies from region to region. If you are looking to make the most of your Italian cooking experience make sure you understand the recipe, feel comfortable making it and always use the recommended ingredients.

If you are still not sure which Italian dish to start your Italian cooking with, you can always start with the tried and trusted Pizza, in this case also make sure you try to make the Pizza as Italian as it can be by using the right ingredients and the perfect recipe.

Many people believe that one type of pasta is as good as the other, this is not true. Every type of pasta has its own distinctive flavour, and usually has a special dish associate with it, in fact if you visit any Italian recipe site you will notice in most cases they clearly mention which type of pasta to use. In fact Italian chefs choose pasta based on the sauce they are using, it is believe that a particular kind of pasta brings out the flavour of some sauces where others cannot. There is no denying that in due course you will end up cooking pasta, and it is important to stick to the recipe as the type of pasta you use can make a difference. Remember always stick to the recipe, experiment only when you are confident.