Pasta! What's So Great About Pasta?

Well, first of all it's high in protein, low in fat, a complex carbohydrate, yet easy to digest. Then of course, it tastes good, kids LOVE it, and it does great kindness to any sauce or other food you mix it with. And finally, there are so many different styles and kinds to choose from that it is almost its own food group. Most pasta is made from semolina, the starchy inner part of durum wheat, but pasta can also be made from whole wheat, corn, soy, quinoa, buckwheat, sunchoke, eggs and rice. It can be spiced with basil, spinach, beets, pepper and lemon, chili powder, tomatoes, carrots, green tea, or octopus ink. It comes in an endless parade of styles with lovely Italian or Japanese names like fusilli, somen, rigatoni, linguine, fettucine, ramen, spagettini, radiatore, soba, udon, manicotti, penne rigate, capellini, lasagne, tortellini, ravioli, garafano, rotelli, vermicelli and delightfully descriptive English names such as ribbons, shells, elbows, and bow ties. It gets stuffed with or layered between cheese, spinach, vegetables, meats, and sauces. It gets boiled, baked, fried, chilled, and thrown against the wall.

History Lesson
Legend has it that an Italian sailor persuaded his Chinese mistress to show him how to make noodles. With Italian flair he rolled the paste into bigger and wider rolls and... pasta was born. In the sixteenth century a leading Genoese doctor denounced the over-eating of pasta. A hundred years later the French led a campaign against the "gluttony of pasta." In modern times, we have fully abandoned ourselves to this glorious "gluttony." Locally, we are lucky to have several excellent fresh pasta makers to help us satisfy this gastronmic craving. Pasta Plus provides us with fresh fettucine, linguine, & spagettini, while Rising Moon Ravioli makes some of the finest organic ravioli and sauces (rumor has it that these are ancient gypsy family recipes) this side of the Atlantic.

How to top it:
It is said that in Italy pasta is eaten daily. This encourages the creation of many shapes and sauces to keep boredom at bay. For many of us, a simple topping of olive oil, basil & garlic is the perfect complement for pasta. Yet the variety of ways to top it off are seemingly endless, from a cheese sauce to sautéed fresh wild mushrooms & pesto, to a robust tomato & vegetable sauce. In addition to the excellent olive oils in the food store, our Wine Cellars (a.k.a. Oregon Wine Merchants) has some gourmet olive oils from small producers the world over. Lastly, we have several cookbooks available that can help inspire the saucy creator in you. Let your nose be your guide as you revel in this old world tradition.

How to cook it:

3 1/2 quarts of water for every pound of pasta
Add the pasta when the water is at a rolling boil
Ease long pastas into the water, do not break
Cook uncovered for time specified: check to see if it is done. Semolina pasta is done when it is cooked through but still firm when bitten. You can tell that whole wheat pasta is done if it sticks when gently tossed onto the kitchen wall.
When done, drain and stir in a little olive oil to keep it from sticking. Do not rinse. Pasta should be served hot.

Nutritional Profiles

	Egg Pasta	Semolina Pasta	Whole Wheat Pasta
Carbohydrate	80%	85%	69%
Protein	14%	13%	18%
Fat	5%	3%	<1%
Fiber	<1%	<1%	12%
Notable Characteristics	has some Vitamin A and calcium.		contains Vitamin A, Niacin, Vitamin C, some calcium and iron, and is high in dietary fiber.

Return to Nutrition Index