Thursday, May 24, 2007

You Thought You Knew about Pasta?

The ANNOTICO Report

 

In Italy how much Pasta is consumed per person per year. How does that compare with the US.?

Why doesn't that amount of consumption result in obesity , which is rare in Italy?

What is the best type of Flour to use?

What is the second most important ingredient?

What part do the Bronze Die play?

Must the dough move slowly or quickly through the Dies?

Is "Al dente" for Taste or Health?

Does pasta shape effect flavor? Require different sauce? 

How many different pasta shapes and sizes are there?

Etc....

 

Better Pasta is Better for You

Myrtle Beach Sun Times

By Joan Leotta

Wed, May. 23, 2007

Gurus of low-carbohydrate diets often place pasta on the list of foods to be avoided, but pasta can be an important part of a tasty, healthful diet.

In Italy, where people consume about 60 pounds of pasta per person annually, compared to 19-20 pounds per year in the U.S., obesity is less of a problem.

Many chefs and much anecdotal evidence suggest that Italians are concerned about the quality of their food and consume less at one sitting than Americans do - of pasta and everything else.

In fact, one could say that Italy is a nation consumed with food concerns. Talk about food and health is carried almost daily on Italian TV talk shows. Many restaurants are so serious about food that they even include a page that lists the origin of every single item on the menu, from the bread to the condiments.

Choosing the best pasta, cooking it correctly, and savoring it in small amounts with healthful sauces are a part of how Italians make pasta a delicious and healthful choice for mealtimes any day of the week.

Pasta perfection

My husband and I were privileged on a recent trip to Italy to watch a premium pasta maker at work at Rustichella D'Abruzzo.

Pasta perfection starts with the ingredients in the pasta itself. In Italy, it is a maxim of all cooking and eating to begin with the best product available. Durum semolina flour may be as much as 19 percent protein, according to the Pasta Museum in Rome. This makes pasta itself a healthy blend of carbs and proteins - even before sauce is added.

Water is an important ingredient in making pasta, and most large and small premium pasta companies are proud of their water source, especially those in the Abruzzi region where the factories of DeCecco, DelVerde and smaller makers like Rustichella D'Abruzzo obtain their water from the clear mountain streams.

Most Italian pasta makers also offer pasta made from organically grown grain or from farro (an ancient grain popular in today's Italian cooking) and premium pastas, such as Rustichella's Primo Grano, which features durum semolina from grain grown in the Abruzzo region. For those with wheat allergies, many Italian pasta makers now offer wheat-free, gluten-free alternatives such as rice flour pasta.

Production affects quality

The kinds of dies used to stamp out the shape of the pasta affect its taste and quality. The best dry pastas are cut with bronze dyes and dried slowly, resulting in a wonderful flavor. Pasta cut with Teflon dyes is so smooth that it has no surface ridges or nooks to hold sauce.

Large pasta companies, even those that use bronze dies, still push the pasta through quickly. Small companies such as Rustichella D'Abruzzo move the dough more slowly to preserve the important glutens in the pasta.

"We make one lot at a time," said one Rustichella manager. "We make in a year what some other of the larger firms make in one day."

Also at Rustichella, pasta dries for 24 to 56 hours. At large firms it's common to quick-dry pasta under high heat. Slow drying prevents the pasta from becoming brittle and preserves the nutritional value, according to the company.

Cooking for health

Italians are adamant that another important factor in healthy eating is the way the pasta is cooked. Al dente, which literally means to the tooth, refers to cooking pasta only until it is firm - never soft or mushy.

According to an exhibit in the Pasta Museum, al dente is better for you because when cooked to that degree, pasta has not absorbed its maximum possible amount of water. Therefore, as it passes through your digestive system the pasta absorbs water and is digested easily. Pasta cooked until soft has already absorbed its maximum of water and sits like a blob in the intestines.

The shape of flavor

Each pasta shape (even in the same brand) has a distinct flavor and works differently with sauce. Estimates are that there are 300-600 different pasta shapes and sizes. Learning to match the shape and size of a pasta with the sauce that works best with that shape can take a lifetime of luscious learning.

While it is obvious that in a pasta course the heavy hitter in calories and fat is the sauce, Americans often are hesitant to move beyond the idea of a red or white sauce to "dress" pasta. Try a saute of spring vegetables (in olive oil), or perhaps place some sliced fresh tomatoes in a saute pan with a bit of basil, add grated pecorino cheese to taste and stir in almost-cooked orechiette pasta. Presto - you have a spring dish that graces the menu of one of our favorite restaurants in Rome and takes only a few minutes to make.

In general tiny pasta bits (stelline, acine di pepe, orzo) are used in soups or made into a side dish. Small pastas such as ditaline are often used with beans. Most pairings are a matter of regional tradition and personal taste.

Those new to deciding which shape pasta to use with which sauce or condiment might want to consult "Everyday Pasta" by Giada De Laurentiis. Also, the package of many types of pasta often suggest preparations that go well with that type or cut of pasta.

Eat less, enjoy more

To make pasta a part of a regular healthy diet, the amount eaten at one sitting should be small - 3-4 ounces (dry measure). Eat a salad along with it and then perhaps a light protein (small portions of both of those as well).

End the meal with a simple cup of coffee or with fruit. Eating less at a time, savoring each bite and lingering over a meal to have good conversation are habits that permeate Italian culture and contribute to good digestion and, therefore, good health.

Try a premium pasta

Consider moving from the $1.50 box of pasta with 100 percent durum semolina to the specialty dry pastas that can cost from $4 to $9 a bag. Why should you bother to search these out on the internet or specialty stores? Even better taste.

Giancarlo D'Annibale of Rustichella said people in the U.S. are choosing a premium pasta brand more often these days, even if just for special occasions.

"It's a matter of educating the public to the differences in taste and quality," he said.

 

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