Pasta is commonly made by leavening dough of macaroni wheat. The wheat employed in the making of pasta is also called Durum wheat. Pasta is also accredited as an essential readymade food. It is a staple dish in Italian cuisine.
Coming in different shapes and sizes, Pasta is used an essential condiment in all popular cuisines. Commonly used ingredients for pasta are wheat flour, egg, salt and water. The wheat flour can be modified into various shapes, and can be cooked in several ways. For a delicious recipe, it is essential to choose correct shape of pasta. Owing to its nutritional value, whole wheat pasta is now in growing demand over maida.
Though spaghetti is popularly acclaimed as pasta all over the world, there are over 600 varieties. However all the varieties can be broadly classified into two categories - fresh and dried. Fresh pasta is usually homemade, made from basic ingredients. In France, fresh pasta is only made from egg yolk and flour ensuing a refined flavor and texture. Dried pasta is commonly termed as factory-made pasta too. It is prepared in huge quantities and shipped across the world. Unlike fresh pasta, the dried variety expands while cooking.
Types and Usage
Based on its shape and size, there are few popular types of pasta available. Angel Hair is a thin delicately stranded pasta variety. Macaroni are short, C-shaped tubes. They are added in soups and salads. Orzo is a pasta variety that is typically in the shape of a rice grain or barley. The most commonly found variety is Penne, small tubes cut diagonally at the corners. They are tossed with sauce and served.
Pasta has blended into popular culinary adapting to the local cooking methods. It is generally served with sauce. The kind of sauce accompanying depends on the variety of pasta used. Northern Italian cuisine uses white sauce over tomatoes and spicy herbs. In southern Italian cuisine, there are many complex recipes prepared using pasta. Rotini, Lasagne and Fusilli are popularly used pasta varieties. Rotini is commonly used in salads with different sauces, Lasagne is served in baked form with a variety of ingredients and Fusilli is either green or red based the kind of juice added.
Did you know?
It is a myth that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy during the 13th century. There have been evidences tracing back as far as the century. Around 1770, Macorini pasta has become so popular in England that it has become a describing word for good.