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The
durum wheat of the Italian pasta is a synonym of quality,
goodness, energy and nutritional value all over the
world. The wheat from Apulia, produced in the sunny
fields of Southern Italy, is richer in mineral salts,
vitamins and proteins.
Mediterranean
food, with its intense and strong flavors, traditionally
rich, is based on tasty first dishes where pasta well
matches vegetables and other natural ingredients.
Also dieticians state the necessity of introducing
in any diet some amounts, even though small, of carbohydrates
present in pasta that contains: 70% carbohydrates,
10% proteins, 1.2% fats, vitamins of the B and PP
groups and mineral salts (mostly phosphorus, potassium
and calcium).
Therefore,
according to the experts' suggestions, it should be
underlined, against any prejudices, that "pasta
is not fattening". The
goodness of durum wheat pasta is mainly based on few
organoleptic features: the smell must be pleasant
and the yellowish color must appear uniform in the
inner sides of the macaroni, once broken. The real
test is performed while cooking, though. The pasta
must neither overcook nor break into pieces and must
only slightly whiten the water with starch residues.
Finally,
it is important to know that once it is cooked, pasta
increases its original size by at least three times;
for this reason the pan must be bigger than the volume
of water plus the pasta to be cooked. The ideal proportion
of water is of one liter every 100 grams of pasta,
to be salted with 10 grams of salt per litre (or per
100 grams of pasta). It is
suggested that salt is added once water has reached
the boiling point before "throwing in" the
pasta. This is because water which is added salt before
it boils, takes longer to reach the boiling point.
The pasta must be "thrown" into the pan
when water is boiling, it must be covered in water
and stirred every now and then. On pasta packs the
necessary cooking times are usually shown but it is
better to taste and stop the cooking (by adding a
glass of cold water) when pasta is "al dente",
i.e. when it is still solid. The durum wheat pasta
doesn't "overcook" (i.e. it doesn't get
soft); if it is soft it means that it is overcooked.
Once cooked, pasta should be strained and served.
And "buon appetito".
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