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Types of pasta and Making of home made pasta
from: ChevenThe pasta ritual
Pasta holds a social significance in the
Italian culture. For an Italian mamma, making pasta from scratch and feeding
her children fresh food is of utmost importance. In Italy the pasta varies from
one area to another. For instance, in the south of Italy, the inclination is
towards Mediterranean style of cooking. The flavours here are more full-bodied
and robust. The pasta is dry, off the shelf and is simply tossed in dry sauces
and olive oil. As for the delicate homemade pasta, it is relished more in the
north of Italy. “The shapes, meats, sauces and fillings of the pasta change
from region to region,” confirms Chef Vincenzo.
To each their own
Though there is a huge variety of
handmade pastas available globally, Since making pastas such as penne, fusilli,
farfalle in the kitchen is a cumbersome affair, only “Lasagne, fettuccini,
ravioli, cannelloni, gnocchi are available in different forms and flavours,”
informs the chef.
Saucy affair
Another important feature of homemade
pasta is its texture. Pasta sheets that are handmade have a slightly rough and
rustic feel to it. Some chefs even say that it helps hold more sauce, since it
has an uneven texture, as opposed to shelf pasta, which is processed to
perfection. “Both the kind of pastas have their pros and cons, none is more
superior that the other,”
Identity your pasta
Fettuccini: A flat, thick pasta made out of flour, semolina and eggs. It
comes from a region known as Emilia Romagna. A lot of experimentation can be
done with fettuccini pasta. “You can flavour them with porcini mushrooms, squid
ink, spinach puree,” quips Chef Vincenzo
Gnocchi: Gnocchi came into picture in 1880, when potatoes started being
ferried to Italian shores from America. Gnocchi pasta is primarily made with
potatoes, flour, seasoning and nutmeg. The sauces served along with gnocchi
vary from region to region.
Cannelloni: Square sheets of pasta are rolled to make cannelloni pasta.
This type of pasta is stuffed with a meat or a vegetarian filling and is served
with a variety of sauces and cheese on top. It comes from Le Marche region.
Ravioli: This is one of the most popular kinds of pasta. It comes from
an Italian region known as Lombarida. Ravioli is a stuffed pasta that is made
out of flour, semolina, egg yolks, eggs, olive oil and seasoning.
How to make Gnocchi at home
Ingredients:
1 kg potato
˝ kg flour
100 gm parmesan cheese
˝ tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
some rock salt
Method:
Cover the potatoes in rock salt and bake them in the oven for 90 minutes at 180
degree C. Once done, peel and crush them to form a smooth paste. Mix the
potatoes with flour, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Roll
and cut this dough to make small bite sized dumplings. Tip them into boiling
water and cook for a few minutes, until done. Strain the pasta and toss it in
your favourite sauce.
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