“Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” – Sophia Loren Potatoes, Grains, and Pasta

Potatoes, Grains and Pasta After studying this lesson you will be able to: Identify a variety of potatoes Explain how to apply various cooking methods to potatoes Identify a variety of grains Explain how to apply various cooking methods to grains Identify pasta products Explain how to cook pasta

Comparison of Starchy Versus Waxy Potatoes What makes Starchy Potatoes and Waxy Potatoes different? Characteristics When Raw Starchy Waxy High Starch Low Starch Low Moisture Low Sugar High Sugar Examples: Russet, White Rose, Purple Red, Finnish, Yellow

Effects of Cooking Starchy Versus Waxy Potatoes StarchyWaxy Characteristics when cooked: Light, dry – mealyFirm, moist Does not hold shapeHolds shape well Cooking Applications: Bake: Baked potatoBoil: Salads, Soups Deep-Fry: French FriesSauté: Hash Browns, Home Fries Boil: Mashed, puree Care must be taken not to over whip potatoes as it will make the starch become gummy.

The good potato: Is firm, smooth not wrinkly or shriveled Has dry skin Has shallow eyes No cracks dark spots or rotten areas Has no sprouts (sprouted potatoes are high in sugar and low in starch) Has no green color. Green on potatoes comes from being stored in the light. The green is a poisonous substance called “solanine” Qualities in a Potato

Cooking Potatoes Very versatile : Can be cooked using both dry and moist cooking methods. Boil / Simmered Baked / Roasted Fried Sautéed Grilled

Boiling 1.Place potatoes in cold water 2.Bring to a boil 3.Turn down to medium simmer 4.Cook until knife tender. Do not over cook.  Always start I cold water to evenly apply heat transfer to the center to cook the potatoes  Simmer potatoes to maintain even cooking  Potatoes should never be shocked in cold water like other vegetables. It will make them water logged

The Perfect French Fries Deep frying starchy potatoes For the perfect French Fry A three step process: 1.Blanch the cut potatoes in oil at 250° F 2.Drain and allow to dry on a sheet pan for later service 3.At service time, re-fry the potatoes in oil at 350° F until golden brown.

Storing Temperature between 50° - 65° F Do not store in cooler. In the cooler starch converts to sugar. If you store in the cooler take out and let sit at room temperature for as long as they were in the cooler Store in dark room, light promotes Solanine General purpose or fresh baking potatoes will keep for at least 2 months New potatoes will keep for several weeks Wash only just before using, moisture will promote spoilage

Grain Types Grains are grasses that bear edible seeds Wheat: Other Grains: Cracked Wheat, Bulgur, Couscous, Barley, Buckwheat, Millet, Oats Manufactured into flour Corn: Cornmeal – Polenta Corn Flour – Tortillas Corn Starch Hominy – Pozole, Grits

Grain Types Rice Enriched: Rice is given a coating of vitamins and minerals to compensate for the loss of natural vitamins and minerals during milling.

Grain Types Rice Converted (A.K.A. Par Boiled): Rice that has been partially cooked under steam pressure before milling. It has a higher vitamin and mineral content. The grains stay firm, separate, and light when cooked. The best choice for the steam table.

Grain Types White Rice: Rice produced by milling that removes some vitamins and minerals, but produces the color and texture that we expect. Come in Long, Medium, and Short grain. Short grain are the most available Specialty Rice: Arborio, Basmati, Jasmine, Brown, Wild

Grain Cooking Methods Method One: Steamed Rice Combine 2 parts salted water with 1 part rinsed rice Cover and bring to boil At first sight of steam, turn heat all the way down to low Simmer for 20 minutes Turn off heat allow to rest for 10 minutes covered Uncover and fluff with a fork Ratio is 1 part rice to 2 parts water

Method Two: Risotto Sweat minced shallot or onion in oil Add Arborio Rice and rissolé(sauté rice with oil) Add white wine, just to cover the rice Stir constantly until liquid is absorbed Begin adding hot stock in small amounts still stirring Continue adding stock until mixture is very creamy and the rice grains are al dente Finnish with parmesan cheese and butter. Serve immediately. Ratio is 1 part rice to 3 parts liquid. Grains Cooking Method

Method Three: Pilaf Rissolé rice in a small amount of fat to coat the grains and keep them separate Add herbs and spice (optional) Add hot liquid to the rice Bring the mixture to a simmer and cover tightly. Cook over very low heat or in the oven until the liquid has absorbed. Leave covered, remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. The ratio is 1 part rice to 2 parts water.

Pasta Is made from unleavened dough of heat flour mixed with a liquid Kinds of Pasta Italian: Semolina flour, dried or fresh, many shapes, sizes, and flavor Asian: Other types of flours (Rice) limited in shapes Other: Wheat Rice, Bean Starch and Buckwheat

Cooking Pasta 1.Recommended Method  Drop into plenty of boiling, salted water  Boil until pasta is “al dente”  Strain in a colander To Serve Add pasta to sauce while still simmering the sauce and cook briefly to infuse the sauce into the pasta. 2.Alternative Method  Ladle sauce over noodles

Cooking Pasta If pasta is to be stored for later use: Drain pasta Cool quickly by immersing in ice water or rinsing in cold running water. Toss with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking To re-heat quickly submerge pasta into a pot of boiling water using a china cap Estimated yield 1 lb dried pasta = 3 lbs of cooked pasta 1 lb fresh pasta = 2-2 ½ lbs of cooked pasta

Heat Transfer: How Heat Moves From One Item to Another Item Conduction: Heat is transferred from one item to another through direct contact. Convection: Heat is transferred through a fluid, which may be liquid or gas. Radiation: Energy is transferred by heat waves or light striking the food.  Infrared – electric or ceramic elements heated extremely high  Microwave – agitated water molecules creating friction and heat