Pasta
Pasta: Meets the Tomato.
Arabs introduced pasta to the Mediterranean Basin in the 11th century, but it only became a staple in Italy. The Spanish explorer Cortez brought tomatoes back to Europe from Mexico in 1519. Even then, almost 200 years passed before spaghetti with tomato sauce made its way into Italian kitchens.
Pasta: Meets the Fork.
Gennaro Spadaccini, chamberlain at the court of King Ferdinand II in 1700, changed pasta eating forever after his invention of the 4-pronged fork. Before that, noodles were eaten by hand.
Pasta: Meets America.
President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) brought his love for pasta to America from Europe. In 1789 he returned home after serving as ambassador to France, bringing with him America's first "maccaroni" machine. Dinners at his place were famous for their gastronomic specialties.
Making Pasta From Scratch
Making homemade pasta is not difficult, but it takes time and hard work.
Pasta-Making Tips
- Make sure there are no drafts in the kitchen; if pasta dries too much, it gets brittle and breaks.
- Allow fresh pasta to dry a little; it shrinks a little.
- An old method of drying pasta: spread a sheet out on top of the bedspread, then lay the noodles on the sheet to dry.
- An in-depth 3-page explanation of making pasta is available at Italianfood.About.com.
Pasta-Cooking Tips
- Fresh pasta takes a lot less time to cook.
- Pasta should be cooked in plenty of water.
-- For 4 oz. pasta, use 5 cups of water.
-- For every pound of pasta, use 5 quarts of water and 2 Tablespoons of salt.
- When the water boils, it must be really bubbling. Throw the pasta in and stir with a wooden spoon or fork.
When Pasta Goes Wrong:
Why Does Pasta Turn Out Gooey?
Mushy pasta has two main culprits:
- There was not enough water in the pot.
- It was not stirred as soon as the pasta was thrown into the boiling water.
Why Did the Pasta Get Bloated?
It was probably in the water too long. Either it was thrown
into the water before it was at a full boil, or the heat was not high enough to keep the
water boiling during cooking.
Why Is the Pasta Sticky?
Once the pasta has been srained, you must add either butter, oil or
sauce immediately, and stir it in well. If the sauce is fairly dry, add a spoon or two of pasta water.
Why is the Pasta Too Salty?
You only need 1/2 Tbsp. salt for every 5 cups of water. If the water
boils too much and evaporates away, it concentrates the salt.
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Pasta: Origins.
Popular legend has it that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of the Far East in the late 13th century; however, we can trace pasta back as far as the fourth century B.C., where an Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making what appears to be pasta.
Pasta: Food of the Gods?
The Chinese were making a noodle-like food as early as 3000 B.C. And Greek mythology suggests that the Greek God Vulcan invented a device that made strings of dough (the first spaghetti!).
Pasta: Godly Standards
In the 13th century, the Pope set quality standards for pasta. Legend has it that noodles were first made by 13th century German bakers who fashioned dough into symbolic shapes, such as swords, birds and stars, which were baked and served as bread.
Pasta: Favorite with Meatballs
Speaking of spaghetti...and meatballs: the Italians only ate meat a few times a month. So, when they came to America, where meat was so plentiful, they incorporated meat into their cooking more often, making meatballs an American invention.
Pasta Facts
Two Different Kinds
Egg Pasta
Recipe: Egg Pasta, Egg & Oil Pasta,
Durum Flour Pasta
Recipe: Durum Flour Pasta
Many different recipes are available on the Homemade Pasta page.
Fresh vs. Dry Pasta
Both have their own good qualities. With homemade pasta, you control the quality of ingredients, and experiment with taste, flavor and variety. Dry, or storebought, pasta has the advantage of being ready made, in shapes and sizes difficult to recreate at home, especially when time is at a premium.
Fresh egg pasta does not store well and should be eaten the same day it is made. It will also absorb more sauce than durum pasta, so make the sauce a little more 'liquid-y' for the homemade egg pasta.
Pasta Related Links
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