Let's talk about pasta. Or about pasta - it’s more familiar to anyone 🙂 Moreover, this is just a super product for busy people - it’s easy to store it in reserve, just cook it and just pick up a whole bunch of a wide variety of sauces to serve it 🙂
This post will focus on ready-made dry pasta, which is sold in packs and boxes. Until fresh homemade pasta we will definitely get there later.
Despite the apparent simplicity of pasta as a product, many people have a number of questions with it - from how much water to use when cooking to matching the type of pasta to the type of sauce chosen. Let's deal with everything in order.
Long or short?
Roughly speaking, the shape of the entire pasta can be divided into two large types - short and long. The most famous representatives of long pasta are the well-known spaghetti, as well as tagliatelle, pappardelle, linguini, fettuccine, capellini. There are a lot of types of short pasta, so we list only the most popular: fusilli (spirals), penne (feathers), farfalle (bows), rigatoni (tubes), orchiete (ears), conchiliette (shells).
How to choose sauces?
By and large, you are free to combine different types of pasta with whatever sauces you see fit. However, there are certain guidelines that will guide you in preparing and eating pasta dishes with the greatest convenience and pleasure.
Short pasta is best paired with sauces containing chunks of meat, vegetables, and other ingredients. Why? It's simple: pieces of sauce fall into various cavities and pockets characteristic of the short pasta shape, and you do not need to make extra gestures in order for the sauce to get into your mouth. Accordingly, sauces with larger pieces are best combined with rigatoni or large tubes, and sauces with small pieces are better with fusilli or penne pasta.
Long pasta works best with smooth sauces (eg alfredo) or sauces with very small pieces (bolognese). Wide pasta - fettuccine or pappardelle - can be combined with sauces containing larger pieces.
But again, I repeat that these are just recommendations 😉
How to cook?
Many chefs do not focus on how to cook pasta correctly. And in vain. After all, the final taste of a dish very often depends on the little things that seem insignificant at first glance.
Let's start with the amount of water. In no case should you save on it, even if you are in a hurry and are guided by the fact that a smaller volume will boil faster. The lack of water relative to the volume of pasta threatens with two problems:
1. Water foams and flows out of the pan through the top, simultaneously dirtying the pan itself and the stove.
2. Pasta sticks together.
Let's see why this happens.
Any pasta for the most part consists of flour. Flour, in turn, contains starch, which swells when cooked and gives softness, and protein, which ensures the elasticity of ready-made pasta and prevents them from being boiled into porridge. In order for the dry paste to reach the correct condition, the starch granules must absorb enough water. To illustrate: 400 g dry pasta can absorb up to 1 liter of cooking liquid during the cooking process (the amount of water may depend on the shape). In addition, during cooking, part of the starch goes into the water, and if this water itself is not enough, under the influence of starch particles it turns into a kind of paste that sticks pasta together and remarkably turns into uncontrollable foam when boiled.
To avoid the above problems, remember the proportions: when cooking short pasta, the ratio of the volume of dry pasta and water should be 1 to 3, when cooking long pasta - 1 to 4.
How to avoid sticky pasta?
There is already a partial answer to this question above - cook pasta in enough water 😉 And do not forget about stirring - be sure (!) Immediately after loading the pasta into boiling water, and then several times during the cooking process.
A fairly common opinion is that if you pour a certain amount of oil into the cooking liquid, the pasta will not stick together. Alas, this is a delusion. Other things being equal, oil does not affect the ability of pasta to stick together during the cooking process.
As for gluing pasta after cooking, it all depends on how the sauce is added. It is best to immediately mix the pasta with the sauce, and then arrange on plates, and not put the sauce in the plates on top of the pasta 😉
To salt or not to salt?
Some cooks prefer not to salt the water for cooking pasta (and not just pasta) at the beginning, justifying this by the fact that salt water boils more slowly. The salt content in water really increases the boiling point, but given the ratio of water and salt, which we usually deal with in cooking, this difference will be negligible and will not play any role at all 😉 For example: for the boiling point of 1 liter of water to increase by 1 degree Celsius, in it (water) you need to add 60 grams of table salt.
Conclusion: boldly salt the water at the beginning, especially since this improves the taste of the pasta.
As for the amount of salt, 1 tbsp will be acceptable on average. (30 g) salt per 3.5 liters of water.
Cooking time
When we deal with ready-made dry pasta, we can almost always find information about the cooking time recommended by the manufacturer on the packaging. Blindly follow the instructions and just cook the pasta on a timer is not worth it, since the indicated time may differ from what is really needed. To catch the right moment, it is better to start checking the pasta for readiness 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package.
How to understand that the pasta is ready?
Properly cooked pasta should be al dente (it. al dente - on the tooth). If you cut the pasta across, a very thin light dot should be visible on the cut (barely noticeable), but the paste as a whole should be soft and chewy well
When you're ready to take the pasta off the heat, keep in mind that it's still cooking as you drain the water and season the pasta with the sauce. Therefore, you need to start straining the paste about 30 seconds before the expected moment of readiness.
To wash or not to wash?
Remember once and for all: the pasta is only washed if you are going to cook pasta salad. Or if it's Asian noodles. In all other cases, boiled pasta should NOT be washed. Washing pasta entails 2 problems:
1. You are washing off the starch from the pasta, which is vital for the sauce to soak the pasta. After washing, the sauce slides off the pasta and flows to the bottom of the plate.
2. By washing the pasta, you cool it.
How to take out?
There are two options. The first is to throw the pasta into a colander. At the same time, when all the pasta is out of the pan, you should not shake the colander to remove all the water altogether - the remaining cooking liquid with starch particles will help the sauce spread better over the pasta. Moreover, when mixing pasta with sauce, it is often recommended to add up to a third of a glass of cooking liquid to make the sauce not so thick.
The second option is to transfer the finished pasta to the sauce using a slotted spoon or culinary tongs - in this case, the remaining cooking liquid already falls into the sauce by itself. I prefer this option.
The final
Once you have mixed the pasta with the sauce, serve it immediately, and it is better in hot bowls. You can heat the plates either by placing them briefly in warm oven, or pouring (and then pouring out) the cooking liquid.
Store shelves are full of an abundance of various flavors for lunch dishes. However, we all know very well that their composition does not shine with benefits for the body. Therefore, the best solution would be to prepare an addition to the side dish yourself. For example, pasta sauce.
Cheese sauce for pasta is usually a traditional option for preparing an addition to a side dish. Few have tried it. Try the following step by step recipe.
What you need:
- flour - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- milk - 1 glass;
- rast. oil - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
- hard cheese - 200 g;
- drain. oil - 50 g;
- spices;
- pepper;
- salt.
We heat up the pan well, pouring vegetable oil. Give preference to a device with a deep bottom: this will make cooking easier and the result better. Add flour to the butter, mix gently and fry until the mixture acquires a slightly golden color.
Pour milk into the future sauce in a thin stream. Stir again and bring to a boil. After that, pour the cheese, grated on a medium grater, spices and soft butter. It is better to get it out of the refrigerator in advance, as the iced piece will not the best ingredient. Pasta is poured with hot sauce immediately after it is ready.
tomato paste recipe
The tomato paste sauce is simple, but at the same time very delicious recipe cooking additives even to the most mediocre side dish.
What you need:
- volume. pasta - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- tomatoes - 3 pcs.;
- olive oil - 4 tbsp. spoons;
- sugar - 1 pinch;
- salt;
- pepper;
- spices.
The onion is finely chopped and sautéed in a frying pan with oil until it becomes transparent. Tomatoes are poured with boiling water, peeled, cut and added to the onions. Simmer the mixture and stir, bringing it to a thick state. After that we put tomato paste, salt, spices and sugar. We continue to cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until a certain saturation or density is reached, depending on how you like it.
How to make sour cream sauce?
Want to try something with more delicate taste? Then get ready for the pasta sour cream sauce.
What you need:
- sour cream - ½ cup;
- lim. juice - 1 teaspoon;
- salt - ½ teaspoon;
- sugar - ½ teaspoon;
- pepper.
We spread the sour cream in a small bowl, where the sauce will subsequently be prepared. Add salt, sugar and pepper to it. Mix thoroughly. After that, be sure to taste it. If it seems to you that there is not enough “sourness” in the supplement, you can add a teaspoon lemon juice. Also, sour cream sauce can be diluted with other ingredients. For example, herbs or garlic. You can only be limited by your own imagination and taste preferences.
Variant with mushrooms
Making mushroom pasta sauce is very easy. In addition, this supplement can brighten up even the most meager dinner.
What you need:
- mushrooms - 400 g;
- onion - 2 pcs.;
- dried basil - 2 teaspoons;
- salt - 1 teaspoon;
- medium-fat cream - ½ cup;
- pepper.
The onion is peeled, finely chopped and sautéed in a pan until it becomes transparent. Cut the mushrooms as small as possible and fry them together with onions. You need to wait until all the moisture has completely evaporated from them. After that, we pour cream into the pan, salt and pepper to taste, put the basil. You can also add your favorite seasonings. The sauce is cooked until it reaches the desired thickness. It can be served immediately with pasta without waiting for it to cool.
Cream sauce
Cream pasta sauce is also classic recipe how you can "embellish" a simple side dish.
What you need:
- heavy cream - 1 cup;
- drain. oil - 50 g;
- flour - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- parsley;
- salt;
- pepper;
- spices.
We turn on a slow fire on the stove and put a bowl of butter there so that it completely melts. Add cream, a tablespoon of flour and cook the sauce for no more than 5 minutes. Finely chop the parsley and chop the garlic clove in a garlic press. Immediately add them to the cream sauce. Don't forget to stir constantly. At the very end, all the necessary seasonings and spices are added. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove the bowl from the stove and serve hot over the pasta.
Bechamel for spaghetti
Few have heard of Italian sauce"Bechamel", which is traditionally served with real spaghetti or any other type of pasta. Be sure to try making it yourself!
What you need:
- milk - 3 cups;
- flour - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- rast. oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- drain. oil - 50 g;
- salt;
- spices.
We mix both types of butter (the creamy component must first be melted), adding flour to them. We put the bowl on the stove, turning on the medium heat, and gradually pour in the milk in a thin stream. The sauce is constantly stirring. Add salt, move to a slow fire and cook "Bechamel" for 10 minutes.
If you need not too thick sauce you can add a little more milk if needed. If, on the contrary, then you should cook until the mixture acquires the consistency you need in terms of density. After cooking, "Bechamel" is served with pasta immediately hot. You can store it in the refrigerator or even in the freezer. However, it should be thawed exclusively in a water bath, or it will turn sour.
Italian bolognese sauce
We can say that "Bolognese" is the Italian version of our traditional Russian pasta "naval style", but with its own special twist. Delight your household with a delicious lunch or dinner with the following step-by-step recipe.
What you need:
- minced meat - 400 g;
- tomato - 1 pc.;
- carrots - 1 pc.;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- volume. pasta - 3 tbsp. spoons;
- salt;
- spices.
The carrots are rubbed on a medium grater, and the onion is finely chopped. Vegetable mix fried in a frying pan with oil until softened. After that, fry the minced meat, after laying out the vegetables. The best option would be to use another clean pan. This is done so that the minced meat retains its meaty flavor note. Salt and pepper it according to your taste preferences. As for readiness, it is better to observe the golden mean: minced meat should not be too raw, but it should not be dry either.
The meat is mixed with sauteed onions and carrots, chopped tomato, tomato paste and spices. We put the mixture in a pan and simmer over low heat for at least an hour. Bolognese is served hot immediately after cooking with spaghetti or any other pasta.
Delicious accompaniment with bacon
Pasta with bacon sauce makes for a hearty lunch or dinner. Prepare it right now!
What you need:
- smoked bacon - 300 g;
- onion - 2 pcs.;
- flour - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- low-fat cream - 100 ml;
- salt.
Onions and bacon are cut into small cubes. First, fry the bacon until lightly translucent, then add the onion. If you like mushrooms, then you can add them to the sauce, pre-chopped finely. Fry the mixture thoroughly, put flour in it. Stir and carefully pour in the cream.
What you need:
- tomatoes in own juice- 1.5 kg;
- chopped meat- 0.5 kg;
- onion - 2 pcs.;
- Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs.;
- garlic - 5 cloves;
- sugar - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- basil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- spices;
- salt;
- pepper.
You can use ready-made canned tomatoes in its own juice, or you can take fresh ones, cut them into pieces and grind in a blender, but not until smooth. There should be some lumps. Peppers and onions are finely chopped, garlic is crushed in a garlic press.
Fry the minced meat in a saucepan over medium heat, where the sauce will be prepared. Add vegetables and spices to it. After that, the fire is reduced to the very minimum and chopped tomatoes are placed at the very end. Salt and pepper to taste. When the sauce is ready, it is served hot with fresh pasta.
Traditional sauces for pasta are ketchup or mayonnaise with mustard, but all this quickly becomes boring and begins to seem boring. To diversify the recipe, you should replenish your knowledge about various dressings for pasta. Then the most ordinary horns will become an exquisite Italian-style dish, and you can serve them as an independent dish.
Sauce for spaghetti
Make delicious varietyhomemade pasta sauceseasy if you know the optimal combinations. Italians serve pasta as an independent lunch dish, and each time a new one. If you know how to make spaghetti sauce, you can make them hearty, savory and delicious. You can choose between options based on cream, tomatoes or greens with nuts, add meat or seafood.
creamy
It is considered the most satisfyingcream sauce for pasta, which is made on the basis of cream or fat sour cream, grated cheese and lots of dry spices. A more high-calorie option will be with the addition of smoked ham, meat or minced meat - carbonara or meat, with the addition of chicken you get Alfredo pasta. It is good to diversify the dish with fresh champignons, peas, celery.
tomato
More familiar to Russians will becomespaghetti with tomato sauce , which can be made from fresh or canned tomatoes or juice. Bolognese sauce is a great example. To make it, you need red wine, balsamic vinegar and basil, lots of minced meat. Another classic option is tomato paste with champignons, garlic cloves, minced meat or smoked meats (as in the photo).
Spaghetti Sauce Recipes
by the most simple option lunch or a quick snack will be the recipe forhow to cook spaghetti sauce. Need to boil pasta, make a filling based on sour cream, broth or tomato juice. Before you cook spaghetti pasta, you need to evaluate what products you have left in the refrigerator: you can make a delicious dish without even going out to the store once again.
- Servings: 20 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 153 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
Every chef should knowhow to make spaghetti bolognese sauceBecause this is a classic recipe. It is based on the best seasonings: dried oregano, basil and garlic. Provides vibrant color tomato juice, carrots, red wine with tomatoes, and satiety - Ground beef. Try cooking for dinner.
Ingredients:
- olive oil - 50 ml;
- carrots - 1 pc.;
- red onion - 1 pc.;
- ground beef - 1 kg;
- dried oregano - 40 g;
- dried basil - 40 g;
- tomato juice - a glass;
- garlic - 5 cloves;
- red wine - 250 ml;
- Worcestershire sauce - 40 ml;
- canned tomatoes - 0.8 kg;
- milk - 250 ml
Cooking method:
- Fry grated carrots, chopped onion, crushed garlic cloves.
- After 5 minutes add minced meat, spices, wine, Worcestershire and tomato sauce.
- Simmer until excess liquid has evaporated.
- Add mashed tomatoes, milk. After boiling, turn off the heat, serve hot in a special gravy.
cheesy
- Cooking time: 10 minutes.
- Number of servings: 6 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 237 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
The original simple option of how to cookspaghetti cheese sauce, will be an addition to the main components of mustard - Dijon, in grains or an ordinary dining room will do. Many people will like the delicate aroma of soft gravy for its satiety and piquancy, especially since almost everyone loves cheese additives.
Ingredients:
- mustard - 10 ml;
- flour - 120 g;
- hard cheese - 170 g;
- milk - a glass;
- butter - 20 g.
Cooking method:
- Mix grated cheese, soft butter, flour with mustard. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, pour in milk, boil.
- Serve after 3 minutes.
Creamy
- Cooking time: half an hour.
- Servings: 5 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 224 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
Delicate and mild flavorcream sauce for pasta. If you want to reduce the calorie content a little, mix milk with heavy cream in equal proportions. It is recommended to use Parmesan instead of soft cheese. In combination with eggs, it will provide tenderness and astringency, and spices will give flavor. This filling is ideal for bows, tubes. A couple of spoons is enough for one serving.
Ingredients:
- hard cheese - 150 g;
- eggs - 1 pc.;
- cream - 125 ml;
- milk - 125 ml;
- butter - 100 g;
- flour - 30 g.
Cooking method:
- Fry the flour, pour in the milk, salt and pepper.
- After 10 minutes, pour in the egg yolk whipped with cream, rub the cheese.
- Mix immediately with pasta. Sprinkle with chopped herbs if desired.
mushroom
- Cooking time: half an hour.
- Calorie content of the dish: 71 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
Distinguished by a bright aromaspaghetti with mushroom sauce , for the manufacture of which fresh, salted, pickled or dried champignons, white, chanterelles, mushrooms are suitable. Get a hearty meal rich in protein. It is recommended to season the dish with black pepper and a small amount of fried onions.
Ingredients:
- pickled mushrooms - 0.2 kg;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- butter - 50 g;
- sour cream - 2 tablespoons;
- flour - 30 g;
- broth - half a liter.
Cooking method:
- Fry sliced \u200b\u200bplates with mushrooms until the liquid evaporates.
- Pour the chopped onion, flour, mix quickly.
- Pour in broth, cook for 5 minutes, add sour cream. Salt, pepper.
From a tomato
- Cooking time: 20 minutes.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 67 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
A more familiar option for every hostess will betomato pasta sauce. It will sparkle with new notes if you enrich it with onions, and add basil, thyme, thyme and garlic cloves for spice. Fragrant vegetable frying will make spaghetti more attractive, especially since even a novice cook can cook it.
Ingredients:
- onion - 3 pcs.;
- canned tomatoes - 0.8 kg;
- olive oil - 40 ml;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- basil, thyme, thyme - 10 g.
Cooking method:
- Finely chop the onion, fry, add crushed garlic cloves. Simmer until soft.
- Add mashed, peeled tomatoes, pour the juice from the jar.
- Season with spices, salt, pepper. Boil, simmer for 10 minutes.
cream cheese
- Cooking time: half an hour.
- Servings: 3 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 374 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
Will be extremely satisfyingpasta in cream sauce with cheese, which Italians prefer to eat for lunch to provide the body with energy. Even a novice cook can learn how to make cream cheese-flavoured spaghetti sauce to make it quick and delicious. Optionally, you can add seafood or vegetables to this base.
Ingredients:
- butter - 40 g;
- flour - 30 g;
- cream - a glass;
- parmesan - 100 g.
Cooking method:
- Fry flour until evenly browned.
- Pour in the cream, boil, salt, pepper. Grate cheese, let melt.
From tomatoes and garlic
- Cooking time: 1 hour.
- Number of servings: 6 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 29 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
Simple pasta with tomatoes and garlicsuitable for weight loss or vegetarians, especially if you make it based on pasta from durum varieties wheat. Recipe for how to cook garlic Sause for spaghetti, involves the use fresh tomatoes, bell pepper. Season it well with dry spices - suitable Provencal herbs, basil.
Ingredients:
- bell pepper- 2 pcs.;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- provencal herbs - 5 g.
Cooking method:
- Peppers bake in the oven, cool, remove the peel, chop the pulp.
- Fry the diced onion, mix with the pulp of the peppers, add the peeled and chopped tomatoes. Season with crushed garlic cloves.
- Simmer for 35 minutes under the lid, grind with a blender to puree, salt, pepper, season with spices.
From tomato paste
- Cooking time: 15 minutes.
- Servings: 5 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 211 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: author's.
- Difficulty of preparation: easy.
If you can’t find time for a serious dinner, try the usual for all Russians will becometomato sauce for pasta. A mixture of French herbs will add a refined note to the additive, and garlic and onion will add spices. Carefully study the recipe with a photo to achieve the perfect gravy consistency. If desired, hot spices, chili pepper, adjika, tabasco can be added to it.
Ingredients:
- tomato paste - 75 ml;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- butter - 30 g;
- olive oil - 30 ml;
- French herbs - 5 g.
Cooking method:
- Fry the chopped onion in the oil mixture until golden.
- Squeeze garlic, after 4 minutes add tomato paste, herbs.
- Season with salt and black pepper after 3 minutes.
Meat
- Cooking time: half an hour.
- Servings: 3 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 188 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: author's.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
For a complete lunch or dinner, use the recipe that features meat sauce to spaghetti. To cook it, any meat is suitable - chicken fillet, turkey, pork. You can take the pieces whole or scroll them into minced meat. Choose the base according to your tastes: for example, a savory combination of green onions with sour cream.
Ingredients:
- meat - 0.3 kg;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- butter - 30 g;
- flour - 30 g;
- broth - a glass;
- parsley - a bunch;
- green onion- bundle;
- sour cream - 50 ml.
Cooking method:
- Chop the onion, fry until golden, sprinkle with flour, warm.
- Pour in the broth, add the chopped meat.
- Cook for 8 minutes, add sour cream, chopped herbs, salt.
From sour cream
- Cooking time: half an hour.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 135 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: author's.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
Has a pleasant mushroom aroma and onion flavorsour cream pasta sauce, which was mixed with these components for greater satiety. The recipe for how to make spaghetti sauce involves the use of French or Italian herbs, but they are easy to replace with any other. If you don't like mushrooms, replace them green peas, beans or mixed vegetables.
Ingredients:
- onion - 1 pc.;
- champignons - 0.3 kg;
- sour cream - 75 ml;
- vegetable oil - 40 ml;
- broth - a glass;
- flour - 30 g;
- french herbs - 3 g.
Cooking method:
- Grind the onion with mushrooms, fry, salt, season with spices.
- Pour flour, warm, pour in the broth with sour cream.
- Remove from stove after 5 minutes.
With shrimps
- Cooking time: half an hour.
- Servings: 4 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 236 kcal.
- Purpose: second.
- Cuisine: Italian.
- Difficulty of preparation: medium.
An effective holiday option will bepasta with shrimp and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. To get the desired taste, you should take heavy cream - at least 33%. If there are none at hand, then any mixed with fatty sour cream will do. You can take any shrimp, but it is better to give preference to large, royal ones, which will look beautiful on a plate along with spaghetti, herbs and cherry tomatoes (as in the photo).
Ingredients:
- shrimp (peeled) - 100 g;
- cherry tomatoes - 6 pcs.;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- cream - ¾ cup;
- olive oil - 40 ml;
- parmesan - 20 g;
- processed cheese- 40 g;
- basil - a branch.
Cooking method:
- Quickly fry the garlic cloves, remove, lay out the shrimp. Pour cream, add melted cheese, pepper.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, add cherry halves.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and garnish with basil.
To cook delicioussauces for pasta, follow the advice of chefs:
- cooking pasta for spaghetti is best brought to the state of al dente so that the gravy does not soak them completely;
- tomatoes with minced meat, mushrooms with cream, parmesan with bacon go well;
- add salt at the end so as not to spoil their taste.
Video
A product such as Italian pasta, if desired, can be prepared at home. Tagliotelli, farfalle, cannelloni, vermicelli, fettuccine, spaghetti are various types of pasta. As for external features, such a product may look different: stripes, stars, spirals, bows, shells, tubes, and so on.
How did pasta come about?
It is commonly believed that classic Italian pasta is very difficult to prepare, but this is not so. This dish first appeared in China. During the excavations, a peculiar artifact was discovered, whose age is about 4000 years. It looked like a bowl of millet flour. Found such a device on the banks of the Yellow River. Of course, in the culture of other peoples there are dishes from similar flour, but this was the only evidence that noodles were invented many centuries ago. As for taste, Italian noodles are still considered the most delicious.
The secret of Italian pasta
The recipe for making Italian pasta is quite simple, and it can be easily mastered if you know main secret. At the moment, in any store you can buy noodles made from beans, rice, buckwheat and so on. But they are all palatability far from Italian. Its main feature is flour made from durum wheat. Thanks to this component, finished products do not boil soft during the cooking process and do not turn into an ugly slurry. Even if the cooking time and temperature are exceeded, Italian pasta keeps its shape well. The only thing that such noodles can lose is "al dente": the famous degree of readiness.
How to choose flour
Italian pasta dough cannot be prepared from ordinary flour. Then the noodles will just start to boil. To prepare such a product, durum wheat flour is required. It contains significantly less starch, but more gluten than soft varieties. Pasta made from this flour has a low glycemic index. It is thanks to this that they do not get fat from such a dish.
How to cook Italian pasta? First of all, you should choose the right flour. For such a dish, the Semola product is ideal. Its main difference from other varieties of flour is the degree of grain grinding, as well as a yellowish tint. Externally, the product looks like semolina fine grind.
How to cook italian pasta
To make pasta at home, you need a few ingredients:
- Flour from durum wheat.
- Egg yolks.
Usually, for the preparation of Italian pasta, only 1 yolk is taken per 100 grams of flour. The end result should be a fairly stiff dough. It is very difficult to knead it by hand. It is recommended to take only homemade eggs, as their yolks give the noodles a richer yellow tint. The very same recipe for Italian pasta at home is used by many, as it is quite simple.
Cooking process
So, consider the recipe for Italian pasta at home. To begin with, sift the flour into a deep container. The yolks must be separated from the whites. You can use an empty plastic bottle for this. The yolks should be added to the flour and knead the dough. The mass turns out to be very tight and it is not always possible to connect the components with your hands. Many recommend using a special machine for kneading dough.
If the mass turned out dry, then you can add a little flour to it. After cooking, the dough should stand for 30 minutes. After that, you can begin to form the noodles. It is recommended to roll out the dough very thinly, but it is best to pass it through a machine designed for rolling out the dough.
Each layer should be sprinkled with flour, and then rolled up and cut into thin strips. The finished pasta remains to unfold. So that it does not stick together, it is recommended to sprinkle it with flour.
What to do next
Having mastered the recipe for Italian pasta, at home you can cook a lot delicious meals. After the dough is cut, it can be immediately boiled or dried. The last option allows you to use the finished product as needed. To dry the pasta, line the back of a chair with a clean kitchen towel and then hang the noodles up. Some use ordinary clothes hangers for this purpose.
There is also an easier method. It is enough to scatter the paste on a horizontal surface. For this, a regular baking sheet will do. After a day, the pasta will be ready. In this case, the product is brittle and hard. It is recommended to store such noodles in a container with an airtight lid for no more than 30 days.
How to make colored noodles
Now you know the recipe for Italian pasta at home. She prepares quickly. It is worth considering that Italian pasta is found in various shades: black, yellow, green, orange. To achieve such colors, it is not necessary to use synthetic dyes. Natural spices and products are suitable for this:
How to cook pasta
So how is Italian pasta cooked? At home, you can cook a wide variety of dishes from ready-made noodles with various ingredients, sauces and additives. However, in any case, the pasta must be boiled. Pour water into the container and bring it to a strong boil. After that, add a little salt to it and lay out the noodles. To prevent the pasta from sticking together, you need to add a few tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil to the water.
Ready noodles simply lean back into a colander. There is no need to rinse it. After that, it remains to combine it with sauce and other products, add to the broth or soup. This pasta tastes great with regular butter.
If you want to cook broth with Italian noodles, then shake off the flour before adding it. Otherwise, the dish will turn out cloudy. It should be noted that during the cooking process, the pasta increases several times.
The secrets of cooking the most popular in the world Italian food- pastas, reveals Mauro Moscardi, a real gastronomic expert on Italian cuisine. He grew up in the most picturesque Italian corner - the Abruzzo region, which is famous for its exquisite cuisine.
“Thanks to my vast experience in one of the oldest Italian pasta companies, I know almost everything about pasta,” says Mauro. ─ In Italy, they are the basis of the Mediterranean diet and one of the secrets of beauty and longevity. If you know how to choose and cook pasta, you will be happy and healthy until old age, because properly cooked spaghetti is both incredibly tasty and very healthy.”
Choose the right paste
In the conditions of life in a huge metropolis, it can be difficult to find the time and carefully examine the assortment on the shelves, choosing the best. “You are what you eat,” any Italian will say, and he will be absolutely right. Start your choice by studying the composition of the product: it should indicate that the products are made from durum wheat. Then take a close look at the nutritional information on the package: good pasta is distinguished by a high content of proteins: they must be at least 12% per 100 g of product.
A quality pasta should contain only two ingredients: flour and water. Additionally, only beets, spinach, carrots or tomatoes can be present in the composition, which add color and flavor to the paste.
Examine the pasta through the packaging - the roughness and straw (and not at all yellow) color of the pasta speak of their high quality and the use of “semolina” in its preparation, that is, high-quality durum wheat flour. Such a paste absorbs the sauce better, which makes ready meal even tastier. Trite, but effective: when choosing a paste, it is important to study not only the product itself and its characteristics, but also the packaging. It should not be swollen (a sign of a violation of production technology) or torn.
Cook your pasta properly
Cooking pasta is easy. It is difficult to cook them deliciously. Any, even the most insignificant nuance that you miss when cooking, can greatly change the taste of the dish. In order for the pasta to turn out really tasty, you need to remember a few simple rules.
First, the larger the pot, the better for your pasta. In no case should products be “cramped”. In order for the pasta to reach the correct condition during cooking, without losing elasticity and shape, it must absorb a sufficient amount of water, so calculate as follows: 1 liter of liquid per 100 g of product. In this case, the more water, the better.
Secondly, before putting the pasta into boiling water, do not forget to generously salt and preferably coarse salt - the water should taste like sea water. The calculation will be optimal: 12 g of salt (about ½ tablespoon) per 1 liter of water.
Third, keep track of the time. Classic variant cooking pasta - to the state of al dente ("by the tooth"): the pasta prepared in this way retains all its beneficial features. The packaging usually indicates the cooking time for pasta - trust the advice of professionals.
Preparatory work
The pasta is washed with cold water only if you are preparing a salad. In any other case, you should not do this: in addition to washing off the starch from the finished product, which “helps” the pasta absorb the sauce as much as possible, you cool the dish unnecessarily.
There are two ways to remove the paste from the water. The first is to throw it in a colander. In this case, it is not recommended to leave the finished product in a colander for a long time: do not be afraid of water that has not had time to drain, because the remains of the cooking liquid with starch particles help the pasta to absorb the sauce, making it an ideal consistency. The second is to remove the pasta from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer it directly to the sauce.
After mixing pasta with prepared sauce, do not rush to lay out the dish on plates. For the complete "unity" of the ingredients, the finished pasta needs to stand for another minute or two. During this time, you can start setting the table and grate some Parmesan for topping.
Find the right sauce
The variety of pasta sauces is so great that you can easily get lost in it. There are some subtleties of combining pasta of different shapes with certain sauces - they should be known to every cook.
Long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, tagliatelle, linguini) goes well with thick homogeneous sauces: tomato sauce with basil and garlic, creamy sauces from several types of cheese, classic pesto and bechamel. Another simple and delicious option, suitable for any type of pasta without exception and so popular with Italian peasants: a lot of olive oil, chili peppers, garlic and parmesan.
Large format pastas (cannelloni, pappardelle, large orecchiette shells, lasagne sheets) are ideal for baking in the oven. Here, let your imagination run wild: it is not necessary to cook a dish in the tradition of classic lasagna bolognese, because you can stuff pasta with whatever you want: cheese, vegetables, sauce, meat or fish, herbs or mushrooms.
Hollow pasta (both long maccheroncini and short penne and shells) in Italy is usually served with different types stew. It can be minced meat with tomato sauce, browned in olive oil vegetables or Forest mushrooms with cream and sheep's cheese.
