Pasta

1
Pasta

• Chapter 2.4 Notes

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Essential Question

• What is your favorite pasta dish?

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Pasta

• Staple food item in America
• Versatile and convenient food to prepare
• Store well
• Cook quickly
• Provide base or accompaniment for many popular
  dishes

4
Storing Pasta

• Inspect all bags, boxes, containers to make
  sure they are intact and clean
• Store in dry, ventilated areas
• Place above floor level
• Make sure dates of receipt are marked and easily
  read
• Use the FIFO method (first in, first out)

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Pasta and Dumplings

• Prepared from a dough or batter that includes a
  starch (flour or potatoes) and a liquid
• Additional ingredients may be used to add shape,
  color, texture, and flavor
• Basic pasta dough produces a stiff dough that can
  be stretched, rolled into thin sheets, and cut
  into desired shapes

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Cooking Pasta

• Fresh Pasta vs. Dried Pasta
• Fresh cooks very quickly dried takes longer
• Fresh is made by hand and can be reheated by
  placing in a wire basket and dipping briefly in a
  pot of boiling water
• Fresh pasta dough uses four simple ingredients
  eggs, salt, olive oil, and bread flour
• Both should be cooked al dente
• Al Dente pasta that is cooked, but still chewy
  literally means to the tooth

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Mixing Pasta Dough

• Most important stage is the resting stage
• If not relaxed it will be difficult to roll into
  thin sheets
• Dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly
  moist to the touch
• When rested 15-30 minutes, its ready to be rolled

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Pairing Sauce to Pasta

• Long, flat pasta (fettuccine linguine)
• Tube twisted pasta
• Delicate flavor pasta
• Dried pastas
• Filled pastas

• Smooth light cream sauces
• Heavy sauce (thick tomato meat)
• Light cream or butter
• Hearty meat sauces
• Light sauces

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Dumplings

• Small dough or batter item that can be steamed,
  poached, or simmered
• Some also made from bread and potatoes and some
  can be baked, pan-fried, deep-fried, and broiled
• Test doneness by cutting into one dumplings
  should never have a doughy, uncooked interior

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• Spaetzle (SPAYT-z-el) small German dumplings, or
  breadlike dumplings that are tasty in stews
• Gnocchi (nee-YO-key) small potato dumplings
  served in Italian cuisine

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Dried Pasta and Noodles

• Arrowroot
• Very thin Chinese noodles
• Used in Oriental dishes

• Cannelloni
• Large cylinders
• Stuffed with cheese or meat, sauce, baked

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• Elbow Macaroni
• Narrow, curved tubes cut in short lengths
• Macaroni and cheese, casseroles

• Egg Noodles
• Usually ribbons in varying widths may have
  spinach or other flavorings
• Buttered, casseroles, some sauces, puddings

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• Fettuccine
• Long, flat, ribbon-shaped
• With medium-heavy, rich sauces (alfredo)

• Linguine
• Thin, slightly flattened, solid strands, about
  1/8 inch wide
• With oil, butter, marinara, or other thin sauce

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• Manicotti
• Thick, ridged tubes
• Filled with meat or cheese and baked

• Mostaccioli
• Medium-sized tubes with angle-cut ends
• With hearty sauces

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• Orzo
• Tiny, grain-shaped
• Used in soups

• Penne
• Same as mostaccioli
• Hearty sauces, baked

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• Rice Noodles
• Various widths
• Long, straight ribbons
• Oriental dishes

• Rigatoni
• Thick, ridged tubes cut in lengths about ½ inches
• With hearty sauces, baked

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• Rotelle (wheels)
• Spiral-shaped
• Medium or hearty sauces

• Ziti
• Medium-sized tubes
• May be ridged, long, or cut in approximately
  2-inch lengths
• Hearty sauces baked