PASTAS

DEFINITION OF PASTA

pasta, literal meaning is paste. It is starch or farinaceous product made with a dough of durum wheat semolina, water and/ or eggs.
HISTORY OF PASTA

There are various claims about the origin of pasta as

1) Great Venetian Explorer, Marco Polo is said to have brought pasta from China to Italy, where it become popular.

2) According to another claim, due to Arab invasion of the 8th century Arabs brought pasta to the Mediterranean Basin from there it spread to Italy as the climate was more agreeable for the production of Durum Wheat.

3) The most promising claim is from Italy itself, as at around 400BC Italians in the city of Etruscans people were making a dish named LASAGNA which was some what similar to a pasta.

Types of Pasta

All varieties of Pastas can be divided into two kinds

FRESH PASTA :- Pasta Fresca
and
DRIED PASTA:- Pasta Secca


Dried Pastas

Essentially all pastas start as fresh pastas but there are more than 350 different shapes and varieties of dried pasta available in Italy itself.
The dried pastas are made entirely of Durum Wheat Semolina and water.
DURUM WHEAT
Triticum durum is the hardest wheat grown today, and the wheat from which Italian pasta and the majority of American dry pastas are made. Durum is the hardest wheat known to man—the name durum comes from the Latin word for hard. “Durum semolina” will appear on most pasta labels.
Durum gives pasta its yellow-amber color, and nutty flavor. The hardness of the wheat imparts the ability to retain both shape and firmness when cooked. Durum wheat is high in gluten and is used only for pasta, never for baking, cereal or other purposes.

There are two factors which make Italian pastas better than pastas made anywhere in world,and they are Extrusion and Drying methods

Extrusion is a process to pass the dough with pressure through a mold to give a desired shape, usually these molds are made of copper as it leaves a ridges and bumps on the surface of pasta which helps to hold the sauce.

Drying process is equally important, all pastas are dried using a specific temperature and time, a good quality pasta require slower drying at low temperatures.

TYPES OF PASTAS ACCORDING TO SHAPES

Long Form of Pasta or Stranded Pastas:- they are thin or thick long pastas like spaghetti.
Ribbon Pasta :- They are flat cuts of pastas similar to shape of Ribbon.
Tubular Pasta:- smooth or ridged, tiny or big these pastas have a tube like structure.
Shaped Pasta:- These pasta have different shapes made according to creativity of manufacturer e.g bow type pasta, corkscrew shape pasta.
Stuffed Pasta:- These pastas are made by stuffing different ingredients in the pastas like in dumplings.


GUIDELINES FOR COOKING PASTAS

Always cook pastas to al dente stage ( Firm to teeth yet tender)

Take around four times water to pasta for boiling of pasta

Always add a small quantity of fat/oil and salt to taste when boiling the pasta

Add the pastas in boiling liquid.

Follow the time of cooking time starting from reboiling of liquid.

Once the pasta is cooked drain and do not refresh.

Retain a small quantity of cooking liquor which can be used to thicken sauce for pasta.

USES OF PASTA

Pastas have various uses

Pasta can be used in soups e.g alphabet pastas in soup. minestrone soup have spaghetti.

Pasta can be served as salad as an accompaniment or salad course e.g macaroni salad.

Pasta can be served as farinaceous course in French classical menu.

Pasta can be served as a main course e.g spaghetti bolognaise.

Examples of Pastas

Anellini:-

Bucatini:-

Campanelle:-

Casarecce:-

Cappelletti:-

Cavatappi:-

Cavatelli

Ditalini:-

Egg noodles:-

Macaroni:-

Farfalline:-

Fideo:-

Fuisilli:-

Gemilil:-

Gigli-

Lasagna:-

Linguine:-

Macaroni:-

Manicotti:-

Medium shells:-

Orecchiette:-

Orzo:-

Penne:-

Penne , Mostaccioli:-

Penne Rigate:-

Pipe Rigate:-

Pipette Rigate:-

Radiatori:-

Ravioli:-

Reginette:-

Riccioli:-

Rigatini:-

Roccehti:-

Rotelle:-

Rotini:-

Spaghetti:-

Pipette Rigate:-

Ziti:-