PASTA

LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter, students will be able to: Define the term pasta. Explain the manufacturing process of pasta. Identify a variety of pasta shapes. Pronounce correctly the names of pasta.

PASTA Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, with the first reference dating back to 1154 it is also commonly used to refer to the variety of pasta dishes. Typically pasta is made from unleavened dough of durum wheat flour mixed with water and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked and served in any number of dishes. It can be made with flour from other cereals or grains and eggs may be used instead of water. Pastas may be divided into two broad categories, dried (pasta secca) and fresh (pasta fresca). Chicken eggs frequently dominate as the source of the liquid component in fresh pasta.

PASTA Most dried pasta is commercially produced via an extrusion (forcing semi soft material through a mould or nuzzle) process. Traditionally fresh pasta was produced by hand, sometimes with the aid of simple machines, but today many varieties of fresh pasta are also commercially produced by large scale machines, and the products are broadly available in supermarkets.

PASTA Both dried and fresh pasta come in a number of shapes and varieties, with 310 specific forms known variably by over 1300 names having been recently documented In Italy the names of specific pasta shapes or types often vary with locale. For example the form cavatelli (a type of pasta, small pasta shells) is known by 28 different names depending on region and town. Common forms of pasta include long shapes, short shapes, tubes, flat shapes and sheets, miniature soup shapes, filled or stuffed, and specialty or decorative shapes

PASTA small and simple. The servings are usually accompanied by a side of meat. Pasta is also prepared in light lunches, such as salads or large portion sizes for dinner. It can be prepared by hand or food processor and served hot or cold. Pasta sauces vary in taste, color and texture. When choosing which type of pasta and sauce to serve together, there is a general rule that must be observed. Simple sauces like pesto are ideal for long and thin strands of pasta while tomato sauce combines well with thicker pastas

PASTA Thicker and chunkier sauces have the better ability to cling onto the holes and cuts of short, tubular, twisted pastas. Sauce should be served equally with its pasta. It is important that the sauce does not overflow the pasta. The extra sauce is left on the plate after all of the pasta is eaten.

PASTA TUBES

PASTA TUBE VARIETY With their thick walls,  tubular pasta like penne and macaroni are ideal for pasta salads, thick sauces, and casseroles.  Long tubes like perciatelli are often served with sauces, or they're broken up and used in soups.   Large, wide tubes like cannelloni and manicotti are stuffed and baked.  Tubes with grooves on the exterior, denoted by the Italian adjective "rigati" or "rigate" after the pasta's name, do a better job of holding sauces.   Smooth-walled pasta is called "lisci" or "lisce." 

PASTA VARIETY calamaretti  Notes:   These look like rings of squid ("calamari" in Italian).  They're great withsauces.  Substitutes:  paccheri OR rigatoni OR elicoidali OR tortiglioni

CALAREMRTTI

PASTA VARIETY canneroni    Pronunciation:   ca-na-ROW-nee  Notes:   Canneroni ("big reeds" in Italian) are small, short tubes of pasta.    Substitutes:   ditali

PASTA VARIETY cannelloni  Pronunciation:  kan-uh-LOW-nee   Notes:   Cannelloni ("big reeds" in Italian) are large pasta tubes that are usually stuffed with a meat or cheese filling and baked.   The name is also used for the finished casserole.   Substitutes:  manicotti OR tufoli (smaller) OR egg roll wrappers

PASTA VARIETY

PASTA VARIETY cannolicchi  Notes:   These are short, grooved tubes of pasta.  Substitutes:   penne OR ziti OR canneroni 

PASTA VARIETY elicoidali   Notes:   This Italian pasta consists of medium-sized, flat-cut tubes with spiraling ridges on the outside (elicoidali is Italian for "helix").   Substitutes:  rigatoni OR ziti OR elbow macaroni OR penne 

PASTA VARIETY garganelli    Pronunciation:   gar-guh-NAY-lee  Notes:   With its quill shapes, this type of Italian egg pasta resembles penne.  It's often served with a simple meat sauce.   Substitutes:  penne 

PASTA VARIETY macaroni = maccheroni    Pronunciation:  mac-uh-ROW-nee  Notes:   This tubular Italian pasta used to be made by wrapping pasta dough around knitting needles.  The term now refers to any small tubular pasta, all of which go well with chunky sauces.  Elbow macaroni is curved, and is traditionally used to make macaroni and cheese.  Substitutes:  farfalle OR conchiglie OR penne OR  rigatoni OR fusilli OR gemelli OR ruote OR ziti (broken into small lengths if long) OR perciatelli (broken into small lengths)

PASTA VARIETY

PASTA VARIETY maccheroncelli  Pronunciation:  mack-er-own-CHELL-ee  Notes:  This is a long, tubular pasta.  It's good with heavy sauces or in casseroles.  Substitutes:  perciatelle

PASTA VARIETY maltagliati  Notes:   These short tubes of Italian pasta are great with chunky meat or seafood sauces.  Cooking time is 11 minutes.  Substitutes:  paccheri OR rigatoni OR elicoidali OR tortiglioni

PASTA VARIETY manicotti   Pronunciation:  man-uh-COT-tee  Notes:  These large, ridged tubes are usually stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach and then baked.  Substitutes:  cannelloni OR egg roll wrappers OR  lumaconi 

PASTA VARIETY mostaccioli   Pronunciation:  muss-tah-chee-OH-lee  Notes:  These "little mustaches" are tubes of Italian pasta cut on the diagonal.  Substitutes:  penne OR ziti

PASTA VARIETY paccheri   Notes:  These large pasta tubes are about an inch in diameter.  They collapse after they're cooked, trapping sauces within.     Substitutes:  rigatoni OR elicoidali OR tortiglioni

PASTA VARIETY pasta al ceppo  Pronunciation:  PAH-stah al CHAY-poh   Notes:  This means "pasta on a stick" in Italian, and this tubular pasta was originally made by wrapping dough around knitting needles.   Substitutes:  macaroni 

PASTA VARIETY penne   Pronunciation:   PEH-neh    Notes:   This Italian pasta consists of short tubes cut on the diagonal, the better to scoop sauces inside.  It's very versatile, and works well mixed with a sauce, or in a casserole, soup, or pasta salad.   Penne rigate has ridges, the better to hold sauces.   Penne lisce has smooth walls.   Substitutes:  mostaccioli (shorter, wider tubes) OR ziti (break into small pieces if in long form) OR rigatoni OR elbow macaroni (use 1/3 less if measuring by volume) OR elicoidali OR ditali OR fusilli

PENNE

PASTA VARIETY perciatelli = bucatini   Pronunciation:  pear-chuh-TELL-lee  Notes:  These are hollow pasta rods that are thicker than spaghetti.  They're usually served in casseroles or with hearty meat sauces, or they're broken up and served in minestrone soup.  Substitutes:  spaghetti (thinner rods) OR linguine OR fettucine

PERCIATELLI

PASTA VARIETY reginelle  Notes:  These pasta tubes are similar to penne, though a bit longer and thinner.   The name reginelle is also sometimes used for reginette pasta, which are wide ribbons with ruffled edges.   Substitutes:  penne OR ziti

REGINELLE

PASTA VARIETY rigatoni   Pronunciation:  rig-uh-TOE-nee  Notes:   These are big pasta tubes with ridges.  They're normally served with chunky sauces or baked in casseroles.  Substitutes:   penne OR elicoidali OR paccheri OR ziti OR elbow macaroni 

RIGATONI

PASTA VARIETY tortiglioni  Notes:  This is a tubular Italian pasta that's often served with chunky sauces or in casseroles.  Substitutes:  penne (smaller) OR rigatoni OR paccheri OR elicoidali OR ziti (break into small pieces if long)

PASTA VARIETY ziti = zitti   Pronunciation:  ZEE-tee   Notes:  These come either as long, hollow rods or as short tubes, called cut ziti.  They're often baked in a casserole. Substitutes:  rigatoni OR penne OR elbow macaroni OR mostaccioli OR ditali OR ditalini OR elicoidali 

ZITTI

QUESTIONS ASK NOW