“WHEN IN ITALY, DO AS THE ITALIANS DO”

LESSON N.3: PASTA

Paolo Donati

Do you still think that “PASTA” it’s all about SPAGHETTI and MACCHERONI?

AGNOLINI, ANELLI, ARMELLETTE, AVEMARIE, BALLERINE, BARBINA, BAVETTE, BOCCOLOTTI, BRUCHI, BUCATINI, CAMPANELLE, CANNELLONI, CANNERONI, CANNOLICCHI, CAPELLI D'ANGELO, CAPELLINI, CAPPELLETTI, CAPUNTI PATRI, CASERECCIA, CASONCELLI, CAVATAPPI, CELLENTANI, CHIFELLETTI, CHIFFERI, CHITARRA, CONCHIGLIE, CONCHIGLIETTE, CONCHIGLIONI, CORIANDOLI, CRAFI, CRESTE, CRESTE DI GALLO, CUBETTI, DISCHI VOLANTI, ELICHE TRICOLORI, ELICHE VERDI, FAGOTTINI, FARFALLE, FARFALLINE, FESTONATI, FETTUCCE, FETTUCCINE, FILINI, FILLEI CALABRESI, FOGLIE D'AUTUNNO, FOGLIE DI ULIVO, FOGLIO DI CARCIOFO, FREGULA, FUSILLI, GARGANELLI, GEMELLI, GENOVESINI, GHIOTTOLE, GIGLI, GNOCCHETTI SARDI, GOMITI, GRAMIGNA, LASAGNE, LASAGNE, LINGUETTINE, LINGUINE, LUMACHE, LUMACONI, MACCHERONCINI, MACCHERONI, MAFALDE, MALTAGLIATI, MATRICIANI , MEZZE PENNE, MEZZELUNE, MEZZEMANI, MILLERIGHE, NICCHIONI, NIDI , OCCHI DI PERNICE, OLIVATA, ONDINE, ORECCHIETTE, ORSETTI, PACCHERI, PANZEROTTO, PAPPARDELLE, PATERNOSTRI, PENNE, PENNETTE, PERCIATI, PERLINE, PIOMBI, PIZZAROLI, PIZZOCHERI, PUNTE D'ASPARAGO, QUADRUCCI, RACCHETTE, RADIATORI, RAVIOLI, RAVIOLONI, REGINA, RIGATONI, RISONE, ROCCHETTI, RUOTE, SEMI DI MELONE, SIGARETTE, SPAGHETTI, SPAGHETTINI, SPIGAZZUOLI, STELLETTE, STELLINE, STRASCIONI, STROZZAPRETI, TACCONI, TAGLIATELLE, TAGLIOLINE, TEMPESTINA, TOFE TRICOLORE, TORTELLINI, TORTIGLIONI, TRENETTE, TRINE, TRIPOLINE, TROTTOLE, TRUCIOLO, TUBETTI, TUFFOLI, VERMICELLI, ZITELLINI, ZITI…

This is only a partial list of the 300+ different types of PASTA that even native Italians do not totally know. What an amazing result considering that Pasta is basically made only from few ingredients: water, flour, salt and egg!

SPAGHETTI and MACCHERONI are – together with FUSILLI, TORTIGLIONI, FARFALLE, RIGATONI and PENNE – the most common kinds of Pasta that Italians frequently eat (usually once a day) with a simple tomato or fish / meat “sugo” or even “in bianco” (ie, only with oil and Parmesan).

The simplest way of tackling all the different shapes of Pasta is dividing PASTA LUNGA from PASTA CORTA.

To put it short:- “lunga” is all about Spaghetti, Tagliatelle etc;- “corta” instead is the opposite (eg Maccheroni, Penne…)

Sounds complicated?Well - at the end, when talking about food - Italians are quite exigent and creative!!

Another healthy way of eating pasta is to add also on your own menu the brown whole wheat or the spelt made pasta.

Cook it and eat it as regular pasta!

«Pasta integrale» with tomato and Feta …with «zucchine», lemon peel, «ricotta», mint (and if you like olives and oregano)

Let’s take a tour on industrial pasta production1. Raw materials, water and durum wheat (“semola di grano duro”), arrive at the plant and – once analyzed - are stored in silos nearby the production line.

2. The grain is transported to the mill, where it is first sifted and cleaned, and then grinded. Following, during the knead phase, the durum wheat semolina is amalgamated with pure water to form gluten. This way, in the next stage of grinding (“gramolatura”), the mixture reaches the elasticity and homogeneity that is needed for step 3.

3. The semolina is then passed into the molds and takes the desired shape through an extruder. Teflon prints (which have the advantage of having a longer shelf life and lower maintenance costs) generate a glossy, smooth glossy “pasta” with yellow light on. Bronze stamps (“trafilatura al bronzo”), on the other hand, are highly appreciated by the most demanding traditionalists and conaisseurs since this kind of pasta’s porosity helps “sugo” (tomato dressing) grip and is more homogeneous.

4. In the final drying production leg, cooling chambers are used to bring the dough to the storage conditions. The drying time varies from 6 to 24 hours depending on the type of machinery and technology used.

5. After drying, cooling and storing finally your “pasta” is packed and sent out to the market.

«Il nostro Sole»: the most important ingredient in our food…

Being a daily presence, Pasta plays an important role in Italian lifestyle. Here are 3 iconic Italian movie scenes that are tied in our «immaginario» to Pasta: but also non Italian movies and cartoons are filled with Pasta scenes!

Italian pasta is unique in the world, first because it is only made with durum wheat semolina (“semola di grano duro”) as prescribed in a 1967 Italian law.

When talking about «pasta» Italians are purist. There are a lot of ways of eating pasta, depending on your taste: but please

understand that, among many others, the following are NOT «made in Italy»!!!

-Pasta with ketchup or mayonese sauce: this is blasphemy in the regular Italian cousine! -Pasta with beef steaks: c’mon, if you want to eat «ragù» please follow the original recipe!-Pasta with non Italian cheese (eg Macaroni Cheese). First of all pls understand that «Macaroni» is not an Italian word: «maccheroni» is the correct one. Second, this kind of cheese is certainly not Italian!

Another big error is in the cooking time: very often pasta is poured in hot water and not in bubbling boiling water. Another big way of ruining pasta cooking is to put oil in water in order to avoid that pasta might stick on the pot: this is a non Italian habit, we usually drain the pasta first and immediately after put sugo and olive oil.Last but not least: already prepared or canned pasta is not only a NON-healthy and low-quality, but is completely out of the regular Italian lifestyle.

# The simpler, the better!

PASTA, POMODORO, MOZZARELLA

If you think that cooking pasta is time and budget consuming…

Ingredients (4 servings): 400g of Italian fine pasta (best if «pasta corta» type), ¼ cup of Italian “olio extravergine d’oliva DOP”, 250g ca of FRESH tomatoes (best if “Pachino”, “Datterino” or “Ciliegino”), ca 500g of FRESH mozzarella (best if “di BUFALA”), oregano, basil and a lot of… nothing else (the simpler, the better!). Total time required: 15 min ca. Consider always 80 g ca of pasta x person.

Directions.Heat water in a large pot and let it reach boiling temperature. In the meantime wash tomatoes (eg with sodium bicarbonate) and thence cut them in small cubes pieces. Do the same with mozzarella (tip: take it out from the fridge 10 min before in order to reach room temperature) and then mix tomato and mozzarella pouring some olive oil. At this point you might have reached boiling temperature in the pot! Pour salt then pasta and cook it for the required time (for this refer to the package directions). From time to time stir pasta in the pot and, once ready, drain it. Immediately after mix pasta in your already prepared tomato & mozzarella dressing pouring again few drops of olive oil. If you like it also add oregano, basil and some olives and cappers as well.

«Buon appetito!»TIP: always eat «pasta» with FRESH ingredients!!!

“WHEN IN ITALY, DO AS THE ITALIANS DO”

Lesson n.1: Coffee, https://www.slideshare.net/PaoloDonati1/in-italy-do-as-italians-do-how-to

Lesson n.2: Business, https://www.slideshare.net/PaoloDonati1/in-italy-do-as-italians-do-lesson-n2-business-culture-tips

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