Pasta

Pasta is Italian for dough. Pasta is a starchy food made from shaped dough that includes flour and liquid. Pasta is typically cooked by boiling or simmering. Macaroni is another common name used to refer to pasta in general.

 Macaroni is associated with Italian cuisine. Italian pasta is generally made with wheat. Asian-style, French, & German pastas are more often known as noodles. Asian-style noodles are often made from beans or rice.

Dumplings
Dumplings are made from dough that is soft enough to drop into a pot of boiling water. Spaetzle is a popular Austrian & German dumpling. Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling. Pierogi are Polish half-moon shaped dumplings with a sweet or savory filling and can be fried or boiled.

 Fresh Pasta
Dough is made of flour and water or eggs. Dough is soft enough to knead by hand, but stiff enough to hold a shape Fresh pasta should feel smooth and supple It should not be dry or crumbly It is rolled into thin sheets and cut into shapes Can be plain or seasoned for flavor and/or color Fettuccini or tagliatelli are ribbon shape pasta Asian-style pastas such as udon or lo mein can be purchased fresh Wrappers (Asian) are sold in squares, rounds, & rectangles made from wheat or rice flour To keep fresh pasta from sticking, dust with cornstarch Keep fresh pasta in its packaging in the frig or freezer

 Dried Pasta
Also made of flour, water or eggs Dough is too stiff to shape by hand so a machine is used to create flat ribbon shapes The dough is extruded (pushed through an opening) in the machine to make special shapes such as elbow, macaroni, spagjettiand penne pastas. The shaped pasta is dried until hard & brittle. Dry pasta should have an even color and break cleanly without bending. Italian-style pasta is made with semolina flour, pale yellow flour made from durum wheat. Durum is very hard wheat that has a high protein content and makes an elastic dough.

 Rice, chickpeas, buckwheat, quino, & millet are also used for pasta flour They are often used when people need a wheat or gluten free diet. Dry pasta can be flavored or colored. Pasta is sold in various sizes. Store in original packaging or in airtight & moisture proof containers in a cool, dry place

Preparing Pasta
Fresh pasta is already moist so it cooks very quickly. Dry pasta takes longer to cook so it may be prepared ahead of time and then reheated in simmering water. To hold pasta for later, rinse or submerge in cold water, drain and mix with a little oil, place in container and refrigerate until needed.

 Pasta is cooked al dente: only until it gives a slight resistance when you bite it. Neither too soft nor too hard. Use at least 1 gallon of water for every pound of pasta. Add pasta to boiling water and stir until it is softened, submerged, and separated. Pasta is very versatile and is used in many dishes both hot and cold. Pasta is most often combined with a sauce.

 Long, thin pasta is paired with a smooth, thin sauce that can cling to the past
Spaghetti, alfredo

Extruded tube-shaped pastas and pastas with wrinkles or ridges are most often paired with chunkier sauces Pasta can be added directly to the sauce and tossed. It is typically done in a saute pan over medium-high heat to insure it is hot Sauce can also be ladled over pasta. Pasta cools quickly, so make sure its hot.

 When adding pasta to a baked dish, use slightly undercooked pasta. The pasta will finish cooking as it bakes. Lasagna is a layered pasta dish with layers of sauce, pasta, and filling. Pasta shells can be filled with various foods, including cheese, meats, seafood, and vegetables. Dried pasta is filled after is cooked. Fresh pasta is filled before its cooked. Ravioli and tortellini are Italian style filled pastas.

 Ravioli is made by layering a filling between 2 sheets of pasta and then cutting out filled squares, rounds or rectangles. Tortellini is made by cutting out circles or squares of fresh pasta, adding a filling, and then folding and twisting the dough to get a specific shape. Wontons are Chinese tortellini made with a fresh pasta wrapper. After fresh pasta is filled, simmer until tender and hot.

Boiling Pasta
1. Boil 1 gallon of water for every pound of pasta. Add 1 oz. of salt to each gal. 2. Add pasta and stir. 3. Cook until done. Dried pasta is cooked at a boil. Fresh and filled pasta is best when prepared in simmering water. 4. Drain pasta. 5. Serve immediately. If past is to be baked, reheated, or held slightly undercook it.