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Pastas and Noodles
Pastas and Noodles and couscous, dumplings and wontons,
macaroni, rigatoni, spaghetti, tubetti, vermicelli, fettucinithis is only a
few of the many varieties of pasta, the most diverse food made from grain.
Preparation of all pastas and noodles begin with a dough, or paste, made by
mixing ground grain or flour and liquid. The ingredients, their proportions,
and the methods of mixing and shaping the dough all are variables.
Most Western pasta is made from finely ground wheat flour.
Good-quality dried pastas from wheat flour are customarily made from durum
semolina. Many Oriental types of pasta are based on rice flour or starches
derived from potatoes, beans or even acorns. The dough may be colored and/or
flavored with vegetables, such as spinach, peppers, or tomatoes, and formed
in many ways. Once shaped, the pasta can be used fresh, but can also be
dried and stored.
All pastas share certain characteristics: flavor that is
subtle and texture that is tenderly firm. Pastas are perfect vehicles to be
used in combination with almost any other food. Some are coated with sauces;
some mixed with meat, seafood, vegetable and cheese; and some pastas give
body to soups.
Pasta Shapes have been made commercially in Italy since
about 1400, and in the United States since 1848. By extruding pasta dough
through dies, or molds, manufacturers have created hundreds of forms. Most
shapes can be used interchangeably to vary the appearance of pasta dishes.
As a rule, twisted and curved shapes are used with meaty sauces, as they
trap more chunky particles than strands and ribbons do. The wide bands of
lasagna are best reserved for layered casseroles, the broad tubes of
manicotti for filling.
Commercial, dried pasta can be stored almost indefinitely if
it is kept in a tightly sealed package or a tightly covered container in a
cool, dry place.
Cooking and Draining Pasta
Pasta must be cooked in a large quantity of rapidly boiling
water so that individual pieces can float freely; otherwise they will stick
together in a gummy mass, and cook unevenly. Allow 4 quarts of water for
each pound of pasta. Never try to boil more than 2 pounds at a time. It will
not cook or drain properly.
Oil should not be added to the cooking water. It does not
prevent the pieces from sticking together, but only coats the pasta,
preventing it from fully absorbing the sauce after draining.
When draining pasta, reserve at least half a cup of the
cooking water. The pasta will continue to absorb moisture after draining,
and it is often necessary to add some of the water to the serving bowl so
that sauce and pasta combine well.
Fresh Pasta For 1 pound (500g) of pasta: Bring 4
quarts of water to a boil. Add salt, according to recipe, and the pasta.
Stir the pasta and then cover the pan. Bring back to a boil, uncover and
cook for 5 seconds for fine noodles, 15 for thicker cuts. Total cooking time
should not exceed 1 ½ minutes, or 3~5 minutes for stuffed pasta. Drain the
pasta without delay in a large colander. Combine the pasta with the sauce,
adding some of the reserved cooking water, if necessary.
Dried Pasta Cooking dried pasta in too little water
crowds the pan as the pasta swells, making the pasta gummy. For 1 pound
(500g) of pasta: Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 ½ tablespoons salt
(undersalted or unsalted pasta is virtually tasteless), and the pasta. Cook
according to the times printed on the packaging, but you should lift a piece
out and taste.
Acini di pepe Probably the smallest variety of
pastina, acini di pepe is tiny, pellet-shaped pasta and is made with wheat
flour.
Anellini Medium-small, ridged, tubular pasta cut in
thin rings.
Arrowroot Vermicelli Very thin, Chinese noodles.
Bucatini Long, holed sting noodles. These long,
think hollow tubes of pasta are used with pesto and sauces containing
pancetta, vegetables, and cheeses.
Candele Long, large, tubular shaped. Traditional
with Neapolitan-style ragu, candele are ideal for all meat sauces.
Cannelloni Large cylinders. The thinnest sheets of
pasta are cut into 3½ x 4½ inch rectangles and stuffed with a variety of
fillings.
Capellini or Capellini DAngelo/Angel Hair Very,
fine, solid, cylindrical pasta.
Capellini Tagliati Broken angel hair.
Cavatappi Medium-thin, hollow, ridged pasta twisted
into a spiral and cut into short lengths.
Cellophane noodles Cellophane noodles or bean
starch noodles are made from the starch of mung beans and come as vermicelli
or as flat, wide noodles. They are difficult to cut and separate when dried,
so buy them in small bundles. They need to be soaked in boiling water for
ten minutes or until soft, and then drained. You can also deep-fry them
direct from the package.
Conchiglie or Shells Large or medium with a ridged
shell shape. Use medium shells for tomato, meat, and butter sauces. Giant
shells may be stuffed and baked.
Conchigliette Little shells. Used in light soups
containing vegetables or lentils.
Couscous Fine granules of pasta made from semolina
flour. Of North African origin, couscous is traditionally cooked by steaming
it over boiling water or a pot of stew.
Cresti di Gallo Ridged, hollow, elbow-shaped
noodles with a ruffled crest along one edge.
Ditaloni Rigati Narrow tubes cut in short lengths.
These thimbles which are available in smaller sizes and ridged or smooth,
should be used in soups with beans.
Egg Flakes Tiny, flat squares.
Egg Noodles Usually ribbons in varying widths; may
be cut long or short. They are packaged loose or in compressed bundles, and
may have spinach or other flavorings.
Elbow Macaroni Narrow, curved tubes cut in short
lengths (about 1 inch).
Farfalle Butterflies. Flat, rectangular noodles
pinched in center to resemble a butterfly or bow. They may have crimped
edges. Pair these with simple oil-based sauces, butter, tomato, and
cheese-based sauces.
Fedelini Very fine ribbon pasta, similar to
vermicelli.
Fettucini Long, flat, ribbon-shaped, about Ό -inch
wide.
Fiochetti or Bowties Rectangles of flat pasta
curled up and pinched slightly in the center to form bow shapes.
Funchetti Little mushrooms. This quirky
mushroom-shaped egg pasta works well in hearty soups.
Fusilli Corkscrews. Long, corkscrew-shaped strands,
thicker than spaghetti. Springy shape for meat sauces that are traditionally
served with Neapolitan ragu. They can be used in baked pasta dishes.
Fusilli Corti Short twists. These short, tight
twists form hollows that will effectively trap meat, ragu, and ricotta
preparations.
Gnocchi Dumplings made from ricotta or more often
with potatoes. Use gnocchi with tomato, butter, or meat sauces.
Hokkien Hokkien noodles are round, yellow wheat
noodles available from the refrigerated section of Asian and some super
markets. Place noodles in a bowl and cover them with hot to boiling water.
Soak for 1-2 minutes or until noodles have softened. Drain and use, as
recipe requires.
Lasagne Large, flat noodles about 3-inches wide;
usually with curly edges.
Linguine Thin, slightly flattened, solid strands,
about 1/8 inch wide. Traditionally, linguine are used with white clam
sauces, pesto, and delicate oil-based sauces.
Macaroni Thin, tubular pasta in various widths.
They may be long like spaghetti or cut into shorter lengths.
Mafalde Flat, curly-edged, about Ύ-inch wide.
Sometimes called lasagnette or malfadine.
Manicotti Thick, ridged tubes that may be cut
straight or on an angle.
Mostaccioli Medium size tubes with angle-cut ends.
May be ridged.
Orecchiette Smooth, curved rounds of flat pasta;
about ½ -inch in diameter. Pair with thick, rustic sauces or with vegetable
sauces and ragu.
Orzo A tiny pasta shape that resembles large grains
of rice.
Pansotti Pot-bellied dumplings. These are cut from
2 inch squares, stuffed, and folded into triangles. They may have straight
or fluted edges.
Pappardelle The name pappardelle derives from the
verb pappare, to gobble up. The fresh types are Ύ-1 inch wide and have
fluted edges. Dried egg pappardelle have straight sides.
Penne Grandi (Sardi) These spacious tube shapes are
for use with ragu, meat, and robust vegetable sauces, such as those
containing broccoli or cauliflower.
Penne Lisce These pennes are smooth, rather than
ridged. Tomato sauces, including more chunky versions, meat sauces, and
cream sauces are compatible.
Penne Mezzanine The smallest of the pennes, these
half-thickness pastas are best matched with light vegetable sauces and
tomato sauces.
Penne Rigate Ridged penne are designed to take oil
or butter based sauces, meat or vegetable creations, and cheese sauces.
unctuous
Ramen Ramen noodles are used extensively in Japan,
although they are Chinese in origin. They can be purchased fresh, but are
much more readily available dried. They are used in Japanese noodle soups.
The fresh noodles need to be boiled until they are tender before being added
to a soup. Most dried ramen noodles are instant and only need boiling water
poured over them to be cooked.
Rice Noodles Noodles in various widths (up to about
1/8 inch). Rice sticks are long, straight ribbons, and rice vermicelli is
very thin.
Ravioli Stuffed squares of pasta, filled with
cheese, vegetable, or meat fillings, made by hand or in molds.
Rigatoni Thick- ridged tubes cut in lengths of
about 1-½ inches. Choose this robust shape for meat and sausage sauces,
fresh tomato sauces, vegetable sauces, and baked timballi.
Rotelle Spiral shaped.
Rotini Small, round, 6-spoked wheels. The spokes
of these pasta wheels effectively trap meat and cheese sauces.
Shanghai Shanghai noodles are soft, flattish, fresh
wheat noodles. They are found in the refrigerated section of Asian
supermarkets. They have a firm texture when cooked and are used in Chinese
soups and stir-fries.
Soba Soba noodles are long, thin Japanese noodles
made from buckwheat. Sometimes wheat flour is added as well as flavorings
such as green tea, shiso leaves and black sesame seeds.
Somen Somen noodles are fine white Japanese noodles
made from wheat and water or egg yolk. These noodles are often cooked
lightly in boiling water and served cold with a dipping sauce or in soups.
Spaghetti Solid, round strands ranging from very
thin to thin. Use spaghetti with tomato or fish sauces, or oil-based sauces.
Taglierini Paper-thin, ribbon pasta cut about
1/16-inch wide. Also known as tagliarini, tagliolini, and tonnarelli.
Tagliatelli Very thin and delicate flat noodles,
about Ό inch wide. Use with cream sauces and other sumptuous sauces.
Tortellini Little pies. Made from 2-inch disks of
pasta and filled with either meat or cheese.
Tortiglione Hollow spirals. Also called succhietti
(from the word for a drill bit), these short hollow spirals are for use with
meat or cheese sauces.
Tubetti Medium-small (usually about as thick as
elbow macaroni), tubular. May be long or cut in lengths of about an inch.
Perfect for minestrone.
Tubettini Little tubes used in light soups.
Udon Udon noodles are soft, creamy, buff-colored
Japanese wheat flour noodles. They are usually boiled in stock or soup broth
and served as an informal snack.
Vermicelli Very fine cylindrical pasta. Similar to
capellini and fedelini. Choose fine vermicelli and fedelini noodles, broken
up, for broth-based soups. Thicker varieties are suitable for sauces.
Ziti Medium-size tubes. May be ridged; and may be
long or cut in approximately 2-inch lengths. Use with ragu and meat and
vegetable sauces.
Buon appetito always!
Brought to you with love from
Aunt Aletha and Dear Old Dave
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