The Art of Pasta: Selection, Cooking, and Storage

1. 11.4 Pasta

2. Objectives • Outline methods to select, receive, and store pasta • Describe physical properties of pasta • Distinguish between forms of pasta • Using a variety of recipes and cooking techniques, prepare pasta

3. Terms

4. Pasta • Is Italian for dough • A starchy unleavened dough made from wheat flour (or other starch) and liquid (water and/or eggs) • Pasta dough can be colored and flavored with a variety if ingredients such as spinach, beet, tomato, squid ink, herbs, spices • Most cuisines include some form of pasta; Asian, Italian, Eastern European

5. Pasta • Is made from staple ingredients that are plentiful and inexpensive • Is used in many dishes including appetizers, entrées, salads and desserts • Asian pasta dough (noodles) are often from rice flour, bean flour, buckwheat flour • Italian-style pasta is made from semolina flour (refined durum wheat flour)

6. Pasta Forms • Fresh Pasta • Basic pasta dough recipes produce a stiff dough that can be rolled into thin sheets (sfoglia) and cut or extruded (forced through a die) into various shapes • Cooks quickly (about a minute) compared to dried (8-10 minutes) • Keeps up to 2 days refrigerated, can be frozen, can be fully dried to keep longer • 1# fresh uncooked pasta yields 2-2.5# cooked pasta

7. Stuffed Pasta • Boiled • Ravioli • Tortellini • Baked • Manicotti • Jumbo Shells • Lasagne

8. Making Pasta • Fresh pasta is usually made from eggs, salt, olive oil and bread flour • When vegetables are added, such as spinach, they should be as dry as possible • Herbs and spices should be finely chopped or minced • Pasta dough should be firm, smooth, elastic and slightly moist to the touch

9. Dried Pasta has many shapes Farfalle Fusilli Orzo Penne Rice Vermicelli Soba (buckwheat) Shells

10. Cooking Pasta • Fresh-made pasta should be given a 15-30 minute rest period to relax the gluten before cooking • The method is boiling • Water salted, ½ teaspoon per quart water • 8:1 water : pasta ratio • Oil added to water debate… • Pasta should be cooked until al dente; tender, yet firm to the bite

11. Cooking Pasta • Dried pasta cook times vary depending on type, thickness, stuffed • Place pasta in boiling water • Stir to prevent sticking and insure pasta is submerged • When al dente, strain, lightly toss with a small amount of oil • Serve, or • Refrigerate • Re-heat for service by re-submerging in boiling water

12. Cooking Pasta • It is important to pair pasta sauce with a pasta’s flavor and shape • Light sauces lend themselves to long, flat pastas; fresh pastas; stuffed pastas • Heavier pastas pair well with tube and twisted pastas

13. Dumplings • Can be made from dough or batter • Are usually poached, simmered or steamed • Can also be baked, pan-fried, deep fried or broiled • Plain or Drop • Slight additions or changes can transform pasta dough into dumpling batter • Spaetzle: German, batter dough forced through a colander into simmering water/broth • Gnocchi: Italian potato dumpling often shaped with a fork

14. Dumplings • Filled • Made by wrapping pasta/noodle dough around a filling • Won Ton, pot sticker • Peirogi