Macaroni refers to tubular products made from flour and water. At first glance, dishes are easier than macaroni can not find. But not everything is as simple as it seems. From this article, pasta lovers will learn how to make homemade pasta, how to cook pasta so that they do not stick together, as well as a lot of interesting and useful facts about macaroni.
Let's start with the most popular varieties of pasta. Despite the fact that Italy is the birthplace of pasta, references to similar products are also found in other peoples. For example, in the east, egg and rice noodles, macaroni from buckwheat flour or munga are common. In Slavic cooking, you can find dumplings and dumplings, which are prepared as raw pasta, but the dough does not dry and add more liquid.
The production of macaroni from hard varieties is most common in Italy, and they are called pasta. From there, we received many recipes of various sauces, thanks to which even simply boiled pasta can have a unique taste and aroma. Also, pasta is different in types - for different dishes produce products of different shapes and sizes. Large pasta is good for stuffing, small bows are beautiful in salads, pasta, horns, spirals are used as a side dish, and for casseroles it is better to take short tubes. Sometimes the products are tinted with natural dyes.
It is very important to be able to distinguish the correct pasta from dough products that have the form of pasta. The fact is that useful pasta, from which do not get fat - this is pasta from durum wheat. But such products are more expensive, and, unfortunately, their assortment is not so great. Most often it is pasta made in Italy. In the CIS countries, the production of macaroni from solid wheat varieties has appeared relatively recently, for example, it is the relatively inexpensive macaroni "Chumak". Cheaper pasta from soft wheat varieties is worse not only in taste qualities - the calorie content of these pasta is much higher, it is difficult to achieve that such pasta does not stick together, and after eating remains heaviness in the stomach.
For Italians, it is unacceptable to call macaroni products from soft wheat varieties. Correct macaroni contribute to the removal of cholesterol from the body, contain a lot of protein, so they can compete even with meat products. Also macaroni from firm grades contain vitamins and differ on a carbohydrate structure. In solid wheat varieties, starch is in a crystalline form and is not destroyed during processing, but turns into a protein. In soft grades, starch is amorphous and is destroyed when processed, pasta is boiled, and the liquid in which they are cooked becomes like a paste. Macaroni products of different quality have external differences. Macaroni from hard wheat varieties are smooth, cream or golden in color, with dark and whitish dots. In a pack of pasta from soft varieties you will find grains of flour, and macaroni themselves are whitish or unnaturally yellow, rough and have no inclusions, or have only whitish points, traces of impurities.
From the type and quality of pasta depends on how and how much to cook pasta. The general rule of cooking macaroni is a large amount of water (not less than a liter of water per 100 g of products).
How to cook macaroni from durum wheat?
High quality pasta is very easy to cook. Bring to the boil the right amount of water, add salt and pasta. You can brew, as is customary in Italy - to make pasta slightly undercooked, and can be brought to full readiness. Drain the water, put the pasta on a warmed dish, season with sauce and serve hot to the table.
How to cook pasta from soft wheat?
Such pasta is more difficult to prepare, as they stick together and quickly boil. Falling into products boiling water, you can add vegetable oil. Be sure to watch - as soon as the pasta boils, turn off the fire and, stirring, cook for 7-10 minutes. After that, try - as soon as the pasta is cooked, and in the middle there will not be a wet layer, drain the water and add the sauce. The sauce should be made before you cook the pasta, and add it to a hot dish, otherwise the pasta
How to cook raw pasta?
Raw pasta is not intended for long-term storage, but is cooked immediately. The recipe is simple - from eggs, flour and water mix a very tight dough, thinly roll, shape and dry. For color, you can add the juice of spinach, carrots or beets. In boiling salted water lay out the pasta and cook until ready. Then drain the water, add the oil and put it on warmed plates. Rinse with cold water pasta is not recommended.
How to cook rice pasta?
Rice pasta is cooked very quickly - literally 3-5 minutes. Sometimes they are soaked before cooking. Usually the packaging indicates the method of preparation, but it is better to taste, and if they are ready to drain the water.
Pasta dishes have gained popularity almost all over the world, due to the variety of taste and minimalism in cooking. Products from pasta are combined with almost all products, so to prepare an amazing dinner, do not necessarily spend a lot of money and spend the whole day at the stove. Do not be afraid to dream, and you will certainly please your family with an unusual delicacy.