I have just been to south Italy and eaten pasta, which down there is awesome. It is much better than back home here. Epspecially it is consistency it is like more hard than usual pasta. So therefore I would like to ask you if you know how to cook it in order to make it be like the Italians?
Pasta - Al Dente
- Thread starter lo2
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GB
Chief Eating Officer
If the pasta you have been making was softer than what you had in Italy then you would just want to cook yours for less time. Take it out of the water before you think you need to as it continues to cook for a little while once removed from the water.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Yep that is all there is too it. Taste the pasta as it cooks. It will start out hard and get softer. It goes from Al Dente to "too soft" very quickly though so it will take some practice to get your timing right.
urmaniac13
Executive Chef
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Make sure to use plenty of water to cook your pasta in, at least 1 litre to each 100g of dried pasta. Bring the water to a fast boil, add about 1tsp of salt, then add the pasta. When the water restart to boil, start timing, taste the pasta a little before the indicated time (i.e. if it says 10minute on the package, take out a small piece and check the consistency at about 8-9 minutes).
Drain the pasta immediately, toss with your choice of sauce/condiment and serve asap. (No need to rinse the pasta.)
If you cook the fresh pasta, not dry, it takes much less, when they float on to the surface they are ready. Scoop them out as they come up.
After you get used to it, you won't have to depend so much on the time, just check them after a while and go by how it tastes(feels to your teeth).
Drain the pasta immediately, toss with your choice of sauce/condiment and serve asap. (No need to rinse the pasta.)
If you cook the fresh pasta, not dry, it takes much less, when they float on to the surface they are ready. Scoop them out as they come up.
After you get used to it, you won't have to depend so much on the time, just check them after a while and go by how it tastes(feels to your teeth).
Another question on Italian cooking is.
I was in Italy as said before. I must say that Italian food is nice, there is just one but which I would like you to answer. I was pretty sure that you would be able to get Spagehetti Bolognese on almost every Italian resturant but I found out that, that was not true, how come? Another thing is Tiramisu which were avaible at many places, but almost everytime as Ice Cream, why is that?
I hope that you can answer my questions, which I would very much like to be answered.
I was in Italy as said before. I must say that Italian food is nice, there is just one but which I would like you to answer. I was pretty sure that you would be able to get Spagehetti Bolognese on almost every Italian resturant but I found out that, that was not true, how come? Another thing is Tiramisu which were avaible at many places, but almost everytime as Ice Cream, why is that?
I hope that you can answer my questions, which I would very much like to be answered.
urmaniac13
Executive Chef
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lo2 said:
"Italian restaurant" >>> are you talking about the restaurants/trattorie you went while you were in Italy?
Well, then it is pretty clear. Bolognese sauce, though it is one of the most famous spaghetti sauces that is known abroad, it is really a specialty originating from Bologna, Emilia Romagna(Northern part of the Italian peninsula). The word "Italian cuisine" is actually quite vague, as the local specialties have their own diverse colours and flavours depending on the region, therefore, while there would be some people who make similar sauces as Bolognese style, it may not be the predominant variation around the region you visited.
Tiramisu, also is a northern specialty, Piemontese in particular. Tiramisu flavoured ice cream is also popular (we see it often in Rome too, we made it ourselves as well). Probably under the hot summer weather, people find Tiramisu in the form of ice cream particularly attractive...
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jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
For sure, eating in Italy is truly a revelation of how "Americanized" most Italian food served here is.
Also, keep in mind that the pasta you ate in Italy was made there and will taste different that most of the pastas you buy in American supermarkets. IMO, Barilla is a pretty good brand.
Also, keep in mind that the pasta you ate in Italy was made there and will taste different that most of the pastas you buy in American supermarkets. IMO, Barilla is a pretty good brand.
urmaniac13
Executive Chef
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jennyema said:
Jenny, lo2 is Danish from Denmark
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
lo2? what dat??
GB
Chief Eating Officer
lo2 is the original posterjennyema said:
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
What a dumbbell I am!!!!!
Yes I am from Denmark.
Denmark is a small country in Europe, it is has got a border to Germany, and it is part of Scandinavia, it is capitol is called Copenhagen.
For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark
Denmark is a small country in Europe, it is has got a border to Germany, and it is part of Scandinavia, it is capitol is called Copenhagen.
For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark
RDG
Senior Cook
Urmaniac has answered in a nearly complete way. I can only add that the hardness of pasta often depends from hom much "tender" or "hard" grain (correct?) has been used in its preparation. I kow by sure that, till sixties, there were two different productions for italian pasta: one for internal use, and another one for abroad, depending from fact that abroad, people seemed to prefer a softer type. And this type was produced mainly with tender grain flour. Actually, I think it's no more so. In every way, please observe stricltly the times indicated on the box: if Grain is "tender", it happens that after 8 minutes pasta is too hard. After 8 minutes and 30 seconds is too soft. On the box you must find tha words "pasta di grano duro". A liter for every 100 grams is affectively too much, but, in everyway, abundant. And, PLEASE, do-not-rinse! .
There is another type of pasta, not yet described : dried egg pasta. This is more quick to cook, than normal pasta, but not so quick than fresh pasta. Be careful. It absorbes sauces very quicly, and it deserves a bigger quantity of them.
The last. a)Bolognese sauce. It's a simple (?) ragout. The minced meat is cooked fo several hours in sedan, carrots and onions, whit flavours and white wine. At the last, you can, if you like, add some tomatoes, but very little.
b)Tirami-su (letterarly: "get me up") is a cake, normal cake, made with a particular type of biscuits, drawned in coffe, brandy, and mascarpone cream, covered with powder of chocolate. It had so a great diffusion that many ice creams companies made an iced version, industrial.
Good appetite.
. There is another type of pasta, not yet described : dried egg pasta. This is more quick to cook, than normal pasta, but not so quick than fresh pasta. Be careful. It absorbes sauces very quicly, and it deserves a bigger quantity of them.
The last. a)Bolognese sauce. It's a simple (?) ragout. The minced meat is cooked fo several hours in sedan, carrots and onions, whit flavours and white wine. At the last, you can, if you like, add some tomatoes, but very little.
b)Tirami-su (letterarly: "get me up") is a cake, normal cake, made with a particular type of biscuits, drawned in coffe, brandy, and mascarpone cream, covered with powder of chocolate. It had so a great diffusion that many ice creams companies made an iced version, industrial.
Good appetite.
urmaniac13
Executive Chef
- Joined
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"hard grain" means "semola di grano duro"? If I am not mistaken it is known as "durum semolina" in English speaking world, and many pasta sold there like to advertise "they are made with durum semolina". I didn't know the pasta producers made two different versions one for domestic use and one for export, but after tasting the difference, yes... it makes sense, even ones from Barilla.
I also noticed the difference in the recipe of original Bolognese sauce, they use much, much less tomatoes than that is regularly known abroad. I must say however (Cristiano agrees with me too) I prefer more tomatoes and other vegetables and less meat in my sauce... but I think it is a matter of personal preference... there are countless variation as to how to make a "Bolognese sauce" even in Italy.
BTW, we do make our homemade (artigianale) Tiramisu ice cream, with mascarpone, fresh eggs, freshly brewed coffee and marsala wine!! It beats the heck out of any industrially made versions
I also noticed the difference in the recipe of original Bolognese sauce, they use much, much less tomatoes than that is regularly known abroad. I must say however (Cristiano agrees with me too) I prefer more tomatoes and other vegetables and less meat in my sauce... but I think it is a matter of personal preference... there are countless variation as to how to make a "Bolognese sauce" even in Italy.
BTW, we do make our homemade (artigianale) Tiramisu ice cream, with mascarpone, fresh eggs, freshly brewed coffee and marsala wine!! It beats the heck out of any industrially made versions
RDG
Senior Cook
Yes, "semola di grano duro" is correct, thanks for translation.....
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
lo2
I have been to your beautiful country and taken the boat to Malmo, where my family is originally from.
Sorry that I didn't notice that you are lucky enough to be from there!
I have been to your beautiful country and taken the boat to Malmo, where my family is originally from.
Sorry that I didn't notice that you are lucky enough to be from there!
jennyema said:lo2
I have been to your beautiful country and taken the boat to Malmo, where my family is originally from.
Sorry that I didn't notice that you are lucky enough to be from there!
Ok then you know it
What is the last sentence supposed to mean? And where are you from?
Claire
Master Chef
Jennyemma, I, too like Barilla. It is very readily available in the US, even in out of the way small towns. I actually don't find that it cooks so much different than other brands, but since there are two of us, I often cook with leftover meals in mind, and it reheats wonderfully instead of turning into a mass of mush the way some pastas will, no matter how al dente you cook it the first time around.
Remember that the finer the pasta, the more important it is to taste, taste, taste. Angel hair, my personal favorite, goes for al dente to mush in seconds. With large shells or rigatoni you have more time to finesse it.
I always take my pasta off the burner and strain it when it is slightly firmer than I want it to be when I serve it. Then I very quickly strain it (not removing quite all the water) and stick it back on the still-hot burner (I have an electric stove). At that point I dress it as the last of the water evaporates and the seasonings or sauce cook in it a bit. On a gas stove it would be leaving the burner on a very low flame.
When I reaheat a pasta dish, I nuke it to temperature, then add something to make it a little different. For example, a plain spaghetti with red sauce that was vegetarian the first time around may get some sausage for a different meal. Or maybe some cream. Maybe some blue cheese and walnuts to a plain pasta that was simply prepared with dried peppers, garlic and olive oil the first time around. I find that Barilla really holds up to this treatment without falling apart.
Remember that the finer the pasta, the more important it is to taste, taste, taste. Angel hair, my personal favorite, goes for al dente to mush in seconds. With large shells or rigatoni you have more time to finesse it.
I always take my pasta off the burner and strain it when it is slightly firmer than I want it to be when I serve it. Then I very quickly strain it (not removing quite all the water) and stick it back on the still-hot burner (I have an electric stove). At that point I dress it as the last of the water evaporates and the seasonings or sauce cook in it a bit. On a gas stove it would be leaving the burner on a very low flame.
When I reaheat a pasta dish, I nuke it to temperature, then add something to make it a little different. For example, a plain spaghetti with red sauce that was vegetarian the first time around may get some sausage for a different meal. Or maybe some cream. Maybe some blue cheese and walnuts to a plain pasta that was simply prepared with dried peppers, garlic and olive oil the first time around. I find that Barilla really holds up to this treatment without falling apart.
ironchef
Executive Chef
Barilla is pretty good. I usually buy De Cecco as my first choice but I'll buy Barilla if I can't find De Cecco.
Remember that the quality of the pasta does matter. If you were to prepare two pots of the same amount of salted boiling water and then cook an inferior brand like say, Golden Grain, and then comapre it to Barilla or De Cecco you will notice the difference, IF you've experienced eating good pasta. If you haven't, it doesn't matter and just buy the cheapest product.
Remember that the quality of the pasta does matter. If you were to prepare two pots of the same amount of salted boiling water and then cook an inferior brand like say, Golden Grain, and then comapre it to Barilla or De Cecco you will notice the difference, IF you've experienced eating good pasta. If you haven't, it doesn't matter and just buy the cheapest product.
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