1. Is pasta healthy?
Last year Italians were named the "healthiest people in Europe." Many Americans believe that to be true despite the fact that most Italians eat pasta daily, but I disagree. Pasta, it turns out, is an important part of the Mediterranean Diet that few Italians would consider going without. Read my explanation and interview on pasta's nutrition with Pasta Fits here.
2. Did Marco Polo bring pasta to Italy?
No, Southern Italians developed their pasta recipes in the 8th century BCE, long before the time of Marco Polo. They called their pasta lagane, derived from the word lagana which was a Greek bread (still consumed on Clean Monday by members of the Greek Orthodox community). Centuries later the Etruscans called pasta magnogreco, again a nod to its' Greek roots, and then the term makaria was used in Latin until it eventually became maccherone in Italian, and finally macaroni in the US.
3. Want to learn more?
Tune in on Tuesday October 17 and, since October is National Pasta Month, there are still more chances to celebrate...check out previous pasta posts here:
If you've never made homemade pasta before, I highly recommend it. Today, even in Italy 3/4 of the pasta eaten is dried, commercially prepared pasta. While it is also delicious and healthful, homemade pasta recipes are worth learning, preserving, and passing down to future generations. Artisanal pasta is as integral to the Italian culture as high fashion, music, and the arts are.
Here is the recipe for both basic versions - one made with 00 flour and the other made with durum (harder) wheat.
Here is the recipe for both basic versions - one made with 00 flour and the other made with durum (harder) wheat.
The basic Italian equation for pasta is 1 egg for every 100 grams (or roughly ¾ cup) of flour per egg. In Italy, flour is labeled by how finely-ground it is, and to what degree the bran and germ have been removed. Flour is sold as 1, 0, or 00, with the latter being so highly refined that it almost feels like talcum powder. Use 00 flour, which produces thinner, more tender pasta, tortellini, fettuccine, and ravioli.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ½ cups 00 flour or all-purpose flour, plus additional 1 cup for work surface
4 large eggs (10 ounces total)
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the flour with the eggs and the salt with a wooden spoon.
Mix well by hand to form solid dough.
Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough energetically until it forms a smooth ball.
Flatten out the dough to form a 10-inch diameter disk. Cover and set aside to rest for 10 to 20 minutes.
Roll out the dough to form a rectangle about 12-inches long.
Set the pasta machine at the widest setting. Lightly flour each side of the dough and pass it through the pasta machine. If the flour comes off, lightly coat with more flour, then, fold the dough in half, and run through the machine again.
Continue this process until the dough is 2 feet long. Each time you pass the dough through the machine, adjust the settings slightly so that you end up on the narrowest setting.
Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.
Run them through the machine 4 to 5 times each in the same fashion, dusting with flour as needed, until each piece of the dough is 1/16 inch thick.
Cut the pieces in half width-wise to make 2 (12-inch-long) rectangular pieces out of each.
Change the attachment on the pasta machine to create desired shape.
Refer to individual recipes for instructions on creating different shapes.
Pasta di grano duro/Durum Wheat Pasta
Taglierini, pappardelle, fusilli, orecchiette, cavatelli, and lagane with durum wheat flour. We do so for several reasons: It’s more nutritious, it’s the traditional method, and it produces pasta with a toothy texture that stands up well to different shapes and sauces. Note that you can make this dough a day in advance, store it in the refrigerator, and shape it the following day.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups durum wheat flour, plus additional 1 cup for work surface
4 jumbo eggs (10 ounces total)
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation
In a large bowl combine the flour with the eggs and the salt. Mix well and form a solid ball of dough.
Lightly flour a work surface. To knead, use the heel of your palms to push the dough down onto the surface and away from you. Fold the edge back over the top to keep a round mass of dough.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees each time after folding. Continue kneading the dough energetically until it forms a smooth ball. Scrape up and discard any unused bits of dough.
Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Roll out the dough to form a rectangle about 12- inches long.
Set the pasta machine at the widest setting and lightly flour each side of dough.
Pass the dough through the pasta machine. If the flour comes off, lightly coat with more flour and run through the machine again.
Continue this process until the dough is 2-feet long, slightly adjusting the settings after each time you pass the dough through so that you end up on the narrowest setting.
Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Run them through the machine 4 to 5 times each in the same fashion, dusting with flour as needed, until each piece of the dough is 1/16-inch thick.
Cut the pieces in half width-wise to make 2 (12-inch long) rectangular pieces out of each.
Change the attachment on pasta machine to create desired shape. Refer to individual recipes for further instructions.
To cut the fettuccine
Lightly flour a work surface and flatten out the pasta dough to form a 10-inch diameter disk. Cover and set aside to rest for 10 to 20 minutes.
Roll out the dough to form a rectangle about 12-inches long.
Set the pasta machine at the widest setting. Lightly flour each side of the dough and pass it through the pasta machine. If the flour comes off, lightly coat with more flour, then, fold the dough in half, and run through the machine again.
Continue this process until the dough is 2 feet long. Each time you pass the dough through the machine, adjust the settings slightly so that you end up on the narrowest setting.
Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Run them through the machine 4 to 5 times each in the same fashion, dusting with flour as needed, until each piece of the dough is 1/16-inch thick.
Cut the pieces in half width-wise to make 2 (12-inch long) rectangular pieces out of each.
Using the widest-cut attachment of the pasta machine, cut pasta sheets into 1/2-inch wide strips. To cut pasta by hand, cut each pasta sheet into 10-inch lengths. Brush lightly with flour, roll up sheet, and, using a sharp knife, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips; unroll.
Use fettuccine immediately, or dry on a floured work surface and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the fettuccine.Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, tender but still firm to the bite. Drain pasta and return it to the pot.
Add the sauce, a ladleful at a time until the fettuccine are dressed to your taste.
Toss gently to combine.
Durum Wheat Pasta (If desired)
Lagane
Flat long pasta, about 3/4 to 1-inch wide and 5-6 inches long, dating back to ancient times in Magna Grecia.
Tagliatelle
It is believed that this shape was developed in 1501 by court cook to Giovanni II Bentivoglio. His cook, Zaffirino made them for Lucrezia Borgia because he was inspired by her golden hair. Fresh pasta ribbons must be ¼ inch wide (8mm) – as is mandated by the Chamber of Commerce of Bologna.
Pappardelle
Flat long pasta, about ½- to 1-inch wide and 6 inches long, usually made with eggs.
Farfalle
Bow-tie pasta cut into squares which are pinched together to look like butterflies.
Recipe from The Italian Diabetes Cookbook. Recorded evidence of tomatoes in Italy dates back to
1548…it’s definitely not one of the oldest traditional ingredients! Despite
it’s relatively “new” addition to the Italian diet, the pomodoro now holds one of the most prestigious places on the
Italian table. Fresh tomato sauce is one of the pillars of the Italian kitchen.
From it, more elaborate sauces, soups, stews, pizzas, parmigianas, and more can
be made.
Making a fresh tomato sauce is the best way to take
advantage of the summer tomato harvest, and making healthful decisions in the
kitchen. Prepared tomato sauces are usually full of preservatives, sugar, and
sodium. Try making large batches and freezing, or canning the excess so that
you’ll have fresh, homemade sauce on hand all year long. If good quality fresh
tomatoes are not available, substitute approximately 24 ounces of good quality
jarred or boxed strained Italian tomatoes in this recipe.
Ingredients:
10 to 12 fresh plum tomatoes (approximately 2 to 2 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional, if
desired
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or parsley, or a
combination
Preparation:
Peel the tomatoes by scoring the skin of each tomato with a
sharp knife ¼ of the way down. Then, place scored tomatoes in a pot full of
boiling water and boil until their skins begin to crack, approximately 2
minutes.
Remove tomatoes and plunge into ice cold water. When
tomatoes are cool enough to touch, peel them. If you desire a chunky sauce,
dice the tomatoes, and set them aside. If you desire a smooth sauce, pass the
tomatoes through a food mill to create a seedless puree.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it
is hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook just until the garlic
begins to release its aroma. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil and/or
parsley. Stir well to combine, cover,
and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust
seasonings. Serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature before
storing. This sauce will keep in an airtight container In the refrigerator for
1 week, or in the freezer for 1 month.
Pasta con ceci
Recipe from The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook. Various
types of pasta with chickpeas are famous throughout Italy. Chickpeas were once a
symbol of rebirth in southern Italy and other areas of the Mediterranean. Local
pastas like cavatelli and lagane, which were prepared with whole-grain flour
since the fourth century BCE in the region, were paired with chickpeas and
served at harvest times. Cavatelli are small cave-shaped little shell-like
pasta shapes ubiquitous to my ancestral homeland of Calabria, Italy where the
older generation of housewives still makes them by hand. The best ones I ever
tasted were the ones my aunt Zia Santina used to make.
8
ounces (225 g) chickpeas, soaked in water to cover overnight and drained
1
bay leaf
1
clove garlic
3
teaspoons unrefined sea salt or salt, divided
4
tablespoons (60 ml) good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1
onion, finely chopped
1
small chile pepper, finely chopped
¾
pound (340 g) cherry tomatoes, quartered
6
fresh basil leaves, shredded, or 1 tablespoon (4 g) finely chopped parsley
Freshly
ground black pepper
1
pound (455 g) cavatelli, lagane, or any small gluten-free pasta
Pecorino
Crotonese or Pecorino Romano, for serving
Place
the chickpeas, bay leaf, garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan,
cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and
simmer, covered, adding hot water as needed, for 30 minutes. Drain and remove the
bay leaf. This step can be done up to a week in advance.
In
a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until
soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chile pepper, tomatoes, and basil or parsley.
Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste. Allow to cook 5 minutes.
Add
the cooked chickpeas to the tomato mixture, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes,
or until chickpeas are tender.
Bring
a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Season with a teaspoon of salt,
add the cavatelli, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for about
10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
Drain
the pasta and toss it with ladlefuls of the sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Pecorino
and serve.
Yield:
4 servings
Mediterranean
Tradition
Pairing
quality, whole-grain pastas with legumes, vegetables, and cheese make great
vegetarian meals in minutes!
And for dessert, why not a sweet pasta dish made from couscous?
Recipe from The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook. Couscous
based desserts are popular in the Mediterranean countries of Morocco, Tunisia,
Algeria, and the Italian province of Sicily. The Sicilians inherited the
couscous recipes from years of Arab rule, and now enjoy savory couscous
recipes, as well as sweet versions like this one. This dessert is actually a
Sicilian fusion of two widely popular Arabic desserts – a traditional couscous
pudding and a milk pudding known as Mahallibiya. By combining both
recipes together, this dessert has a sweet and creamy, yet crunchy and nutty
consistency. Keep in mind that this
dessert should be chilled completely (at least 5 hours) before serving. It can be made a day ahead of time and holds
up well in the refrigerator.
Serves
12
Serving
Size: 1/2 cup
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups skim milk, divided
2/3 cup couscous
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup blanched whole almonds
4 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup raw, unsalted
pistachios, shelled, and ground
1 teaspoon cinnamon, for topping
Preparation:
1.
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
2.
Bring 1/2 cup milk to a boil over high heat.
3.
Turn off heat and stir in the couscous, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt.
4.
Cover, and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
5.
In the meantime, place the ovens on a cookie sheet and toast for 5 to 10
minutes, until slightly golden. Allow to cool, and place in a food processor.
Process until finely ground.
6. Remove the lid from the couscous, fluff with
a fork, and stir in the almonds.
7. Spoon mixture into a 9-inch glass or ceramic
baking dish.
8. In a medium saucepan, combine corn starch
mixture, milk, and sugar over medium heat.
9.
Stir slowly and constantly with a wooden spoon in the same direction, being
sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the pan with each stir.
10. Cook the mixture until it thickens (about 20
minutes). Pudding is done when it coats the back of a spoon and it’s volume has
been reduced by about half.
11. Stir pistachios into the pudding and spread
it on top of the couscous.
12.
Allow to cool, cover with plastic wrap, and place refrigerate for 5
hours or until chilled.
Healthy
Living Tradition: Nut and grain
based desserts are healthy indulgences for special occasions. Try replacing them with less healthy dessert
options in your household.
No comments:
Post a Comment