PASTA - THE BASICS and THE MYTHS   Think you know all there is about pasta?  It is a world of its own visited by those who love it and avoided by those who don't.  Here are myths and important basics you may not have been aware of plus links to classic sauces.  (info)

Pasta!

Forget the Marco Polo myth that this great explorer brought pasta to Italy by way of China.  In fact, in 1279 a.d. a will drafted by Ponzio Bastone was found bequething a storage bin of macceroni when Marco Polo was still in the far East.

Pasta's origins are quite ancient and it is believed to have been prepared by the early Etruscans.  Early Romans were using a very simple flour and water dough they called lagane - a word still used today in the center and south of Italy and yes, the word lasagna evolved from that.  Most likely this early pasta was made from flour ground from spelt, an ancient wheat that is mold and pest resistant.  Pasta in Italian simply means 'paste' and indeed it is a paste made of wheat and eggs.

Before we continue, it is not pasta that is fattening, but most sauces.  At roughly 362 kal. per 100 g. uncooked pasta, it ranks only slightly higher than the equivalent amount of uncooked rice which has roughly 342 kal. For the curious, two small potatoes are about 100 g. or 70 kal. - but then they are mostly water and give only about 2 g. of protein.  Pasta has about 13 g. of protein, rice about 7 g.  

   Cooking fresh pasta    Cooking dry pasta   Serving    Pasta Tips and Summary

Sauces and Generalites    Salting the Sauce    Mixing the Pasta with Sauce

Seven Classic Sauces

Pasta is the generic term for any of a variety of flour based noodles. There are still misconceptions on this subject. There are people who will look at any pasta dish and for them it is all spaghetti...or it is all maccaroni. But spaghetti is rod shaped and 
long and maccaroni is one of a variety of shorter tube shapes. Both words simply refer to the shape of the pasta. 

I find that the potato or rice advocates are the ones who are disinterested in getting it straight and are the most notorious. Yet they would cringe when serving a Potatoes au Gratin dish should a pasta fan moan "Oh, chips (French fries) again?" Same thing and just as annoying. In my family, my father who is a rice advocate and my husband who could live on meat and potatoes both refuse to use the term pasta. No matter how lovingly prepared, for one or the other any pasta dish will forever be called spaghetti by the one and maccaroni by the other. For them, those are their generic terms. 

Perhaps it is because in their generation, those were the first (and only) introductions to the world of pasta. Today, and with the growing interest and enthusiasm for pasta, the general public is exposed to a wonderful and innovative variety of pasta and dishes. And so... 

...never rinse pasta! None of the Italian families I know rinsed pasta. Rinsing removes the starch that helps the sauce adhere to the pasta and it will be cold before it reaches the table. Rinse only for pasta salads. 

This myth most likely resulted at a time when 'al dente' (to the tooth) was not a household word - in a time when noodles were cooked beyond that point and so needed to be ‘shocked’ with cold water to stop from turning into mush. According to the standard of the time; vegetables were overcooked and meat was thought to be 
perfect when it fell off the bone. Today we know that meat should be easy to remove from the bone, but not overdone (falling off). 

Home-made fresh pasta is made with flour and egg and sometimes a little olive oil. No salt and rarely water. Commercial pasta is made with fine semolina flour made from durum wheat and of course, dried - which is why it sits a little heavier in the stomach. Nothing is lighter than home-made fresh pasta! 

Cooking fresh pasta: Fresh pasta absorbs more sauce and flavour and expands less when cooking than dry. A good rule is to allow a fourth more. Use a large enough pot to hold a minimum of 3 litres of water and allow for a rolling boil. Allow 4 litres to every 500 g. (or pound) of pasta. Never use less than 3 litres even for small amounts. Add a few drops of oil when cooking filled pasta such as ravioli to help prevent splitting and friction. Salt well with at least 1-1/2 tablespoons per pound of pasta. This may make your eyebrows raise but it is the secret to good tasting pasta. Use more should the sauce you are serving be a mild one. When the water is rolling, drop in the pasta stir around once, lid briefly to quickly bring back to the boil and immediately remove lid once it does. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes until al dente! Just give it a stir now and again to keep the noodles separated. 

Drain quickly into a large strainer (or colander) and immediately set the strainer back over the pot, give it a shake and cover loosely. The heat from the pot and draining liquid helps to keep it warm. I prefer a strainer as there is less cold surface than a colander (or pour hot water over it first to remove the chill). If not serving directly onto warm plates, toss a very small amount of butter or oil with a fork to keep it separated, or mix with the sauce as in Pesto style if not serving absolutely immediately with a sauce as topping. If you do not wish to use the butter or oil and your pasta has adhered together in the strainer or colander pour over a little very hot water and stir. 

Cooking dry pasta: The instructions are the same as above, however; do not add oil as this prevents the sauce from adhering. And please; never break up long pasta such as spaghetti. Learn to eat it properly instead. Obviously using the fork with the tines pointed downward, cutting, stabbing and mashing the pasta as most English do onto the back of the fork with the knife is not an enjoyable eating experience. (My English husband does very well now with pasta; I kept the knives off the table during our pasta courses!) 

Kinds of pasta, general tips: There are many, many shapes each serving a purpose, acting as a carrier for a delicious sauce. Here are just a few of the most common. 

Tagliatelli, fettuccine, linguine; these are flat shaped noodles and go well with butter and cream based or other light sauces. They offer more surface area for the sauce to cling to. Seafood sauces seem to do best with the thin, long pastas such as cappelini, linguine, thin spaghetti or vermicelli. Robust sauces with large pieces of vegetables such as broccoli or meat need a robust pasta which will hold and carry the ingredients and sauce. Try the tube shaped ones such as rigatoni, macaroni, penne, or chifferi (elbow) or shells and fusilli (spiral shaped). These sauces and ragù sauces such as Bolognese should be ladled over the servings of pasta.

Delicate sauces such as cream, cheese and herb sauces should be mixed with the pasta and allowed to steep just a few minutes before serving. Add the pasta to the sauce, gently stir using a large spoon, cover and allow the pasta to absorb the sauce a few minutes. I personally like an herbal cream sauce with the farfalle (butterfly) pasta. Fuslilli lunghi (curly long pasta) hold sauce wonderfully in the curves. 

Serving: Pasta and fish share a common problem; both cool very quickly and must be served on warmed plates, bowls and serving dishes. This is where an electric water boiler comes in handy (see Non-Essentials section). Warm plates in a warm oven. Have your guests seated while the pasta is in the last minute or so of cooking or the pasta is steeping in the sauce, then bring on the pasta! Don’t forget the freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese. 

Tips and Summary... 

· use at least 3 litres of water even for small amounts of pasta. Four litres water per pound of pasta. 
· allow one pound pasta per 4 to 6 servings. (Or for long pasta, the amount you can hold between the first joint of index finger and the thumb. 
· do not undersalt. Use at least 1-1/2 tablespoons per pound. 
· never lid the cooking pasta. (Except briefly to return to the boil.) 

. run a little butter or fat along the edge of the pan. Your pasta will not boil over! 

. never add oil to the cooking water for dishes using a sauce - the sauce will not adhere as well

. add oil to the cooking water for pasta salads or when instructed
· add a little oil to fresh filled pasta to avoid splitting. 
· give pasta an occasional stir now and again to prevent sticking. 
· never, ever rinse unless you intend to make a cold salad. Rinsing removes the starch which helps the sauce adhere. 
· reserve a little of the pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary. 
· never break long pasta to fit into the pan. Apply gentle pressure as the pasta softens and bend the strands. Wait a few moments and give a stir. 
· fresh pasta expands less. Calculate about one fourth more. 

Generalities and the Sauces: 

Sugo, usually refers to a non-meat vegetable sauce. Ragù is any kind of meat sauce, such as bolognese. 

Most sauces are made and finished while the water is heating and the pasta is cooking; which is how good Italian restaurants prepare your order - ‘al minuto’. 

There is no great mystery about a good pasta sauce. Which brings us to another myth that 'real Italian sauce must be cooked for hours'. Just not true. First of all, which 'Italian sauce'? There are innumerable ones and probably 98% of them would not survive cooking for hours. Secondly, besides Carbonara or Alfredo, Bolognese is the ubiquitous and best known ragù and is the only one I know of that does need ample time to simmer because of the meat. Opinions differ, even among the Italians but this sauce can take from 1-1/2 to 3 hours depending on technique and habit. 

A tomato sauce, however will become more acidic the longer it cooks. As it cooks, the liquid evaporates and the tomatoes are more concentrated, which is why a little sugar is often added to enhance the natural sweetness of good tomatoes. Myth: adding sugar reduces the acidity. No, sugar sweetens and is acidic by nature in the first place. It cannot 'neutralize' an acidic dish. It just helps to 'mask' the fact. 

Contrary to general assumption, the longer a tomato based sauce cooks, the more concentrated and therefore more acidic it will become. Many cooks add sugar to counter balance this. However, some tomatoes are more acidic than others. Using peeled plum (roma) tomatoes is best and it is acceptable to use canned ones which 
will cut down on cooking time. Also, always skim the foam off the sauce, as this too will make it bitter or acidic. Plum tomatoes are best and have more flesh and less juice; the juice, skin and seeds of tomatoes contribute greatly to acidity. 

Ragù and other tomato and herb based sauces are best prepared at least a day in advance. 

In dishes where the pasta is to be warmed or cooked a little further in a sauce, make the sauce a little thinner than usual as the pasta will absorb some of the sauce. Usually, one thins it with a little pasta water before stirring in the pasta. 

Salting the Sauce: 

Remember when you are salting the sauce, the pasta is already salted with the cooking water. Less salt is needed in a sauce with wine in it. Also, using ham, bacon or sausage in a sauce must be considered when seasoning as these will salt the sauce as well. 

Mixing Pasta with Sauce: 

Usually this is done in the pan the sauce is cooked in, which also serves to keep the pasta warm. Do remember to use a large enough pan for the sauce to accommodate the pasta plus room to toss. Use a large fork and spoon for this. Some cooks prefer using their salad utensils for this purpose. Either serve immediately to warmed plates or cover and allow the pasta to absorb the sauce a little. Usually sauces for this purpose are a little thinner than those ladled over. 

A Few Classic Sauces for Pasta 

There are many, many wonderful favourite and lesser known sauces for pasta. Here, I wish to give a little background of a few best known sauces that are the bases for lasagna, or that old favourite, Spaghetti and Meat Balls. Any good pasta book will offer you inspiration for other great and quick sauces such as alla Puttanese, Carbonara, or the richest and most famous of the cream sauces - Alfredo. Sigh! 

Tomato Puree - the base for many great recipes, simple and delicious a must try at least once in your life!  Try my version for a lower acidity puree (sauce).

Tomato Sauce Napolitana - The general poverty of Napoli prohibited the use of meat by the general citizenry in most of their dishes and so the most famous sauce attributed to this city is a rich and adaptable tomato sauce. (Beloved by the rich and famous as well!)

Tomato Sauce - most likely originating from the Emilia Romagna region, this is a welcome change for those used to Sugo al Napolitana (Tomato Sauce Napolitana). Also versions for Sugo Aurora and Sugo all' Arrabbiatta.

Ragù alla Bolognesa - The ubiquitous and essential Italian sauce from pasta to rice to lasagne! The origin of this famous sauce is from the Emilia-Romagna region of which Bologna is the capital. This area is known for their rich culinary tradition and their use of butter and cream. Thick and rich, there are no herbs in this sauce as the vegetables and relatively small amount of tomatoes do it all. The Roman and Sicilian version of this is heavy on the tomato and thinner, the Piemontese add heavy cream and the Venetians prefer white wine instead of the traditional red. Variations are suggested at the end of this recipe. 

I have the prior two recipes from a lovely Italian lady in Frankfurt, who eventually moved back to Bologna but not before passing these recipes on to me. She was a wonderful cook who conducted evening classes in Italian cooking. 

Fresh Tomato and Basil - Very quick and finished while the pasta is cooking.

Fresh Tomato and Butter - also very quick, this delicate sauce is perfect over filled pasta such as tortelloni or ravioli as it will not dominate the flavour of the filling, yet enhance the pasta.

Classic Cream Sauce - The easiest 'sauce' for pasta, this quick sauce starts with a little cream and grows into whatever your fancy desires (plus five variations).

Sauces for pasta dishes are limited only by ingredients on hand and your imagination and offer an endless possibility for culinary expression.  What is your personal favourite?

^~

"Do not dismiss the dish saying that it is just simply food. The blessed thing is an entire civilization in itself." 
(Abdulhak Sinasi ) 

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