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October is the month to celebrate one of America’s favorite foods, pasta.
A survey conducted by the National Pasta Association (NPA) shows 73% of respondents said they eat pasta at least once a week. Perhaps that is because of its versatility, value, and health factors. When respondents were asked what food, they could not live without, 60 percent chose pasta — even beating out chocolate.
Pasta’s history is as varied as its shapes. According to the NPA, “While widespread consumption is documented from the 14th century, it is believed to have existed in some form in ancient China and Greece. And evidence of pasta dishes appeared in Italian recipe books in the early 1200s.” Many pasta shape names have interesting translations…did you know “farfalle” means butterflies and “penne” means quills? Perhaps it is an everyday object inspiring a pasta shape…”radiatori” pasta looks like a radiator….”fusilli” mirrors a screw and ”orecchiette” resembles a small ear.
Celebrate National Pasta month by trying some new shapes of pasta and recipes or prove to everyone you’re the ultimate pasta aficionado with these facts.
— Americans eat approximately 20 pounds of pasta each year. But wait in Italy, the average person eats 51 pounds.
— The first American pasta factory was opened in Brooklyn in 1848. It was not an Italian that started the U.S. industry, rather, a Frenchman named Antoine Zerega.
— Americans named spaghetti as their favorite pasta shape.
— 54 percent of Americans always keep 1-4 packages of pasta in their pantry.
— According to a National Pasta Association analysis, the average price an American pays for pasta is about $1.45 per pound. This makes it one of the most affordable meal options.
— According to statista.com, in 2021, the United States was the second-largest pasta-producing country in the world (2,000,000 tons) Guess who was #1? Of course, it was Italy with almost 4,000,000 tons!
— According to a recent Grain Foods Foundation survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults representing a cross-section of the population, approximately one-third of consumers named pasta (36 percent) and bread (29 percent) as foods that are comforting during a stressful time.
Have some fun…. experiment with creative recipes using pasta…..
Pasta pancakes: Take some cooked, thin pasta (angel hair or spaghetti), coarsely chop and then combine with beaten eggs, grated cheese, fresh herbs and to make a pancake batter. In an oiled frying pan, prepare like you would make a pancake.
Dessert pasta: Cook chocolate pasta (yes, there is such a thing). Heat Nutella or other hazelnut spread with a bit of heavy cream to make it a smooth consistency and mix with the cooked pasta. Top with chopped hazelnuts or walnuts and whipped cream. Top it off with a cherry.
There are gluten-free pastas (if you haven’t tried Aldi’s, you won’t be disappointed) and pastas made from barley, buckwheat, rye, rice, maize, chickpea, and other flours. It is available dried, fresh, frozen, and canned (think Chef Boyardee). By the way, it is not a fictitious name, though the spelling is a bit different — Ettore Boiardi. It was interesting to learn that Boiardi worked his way up to head chef at the renowned Plaza Hotel in NYC. That is quite a step up from canned spaghetti for which he was known.
One of the fun aspects of celebrating food holidays is finding appropriate books on my shelves and looking through them for cooking ideas. I also enjoy finding products, especially new ones, to use in cooking with the celebrated item. It was fun taking another look at the book based on the popular YouTube channel of the same name, “Pasta Grannies: the Secrets of Italy’s Best Home Cooks,” by Vicky Bennison (2019, Hardie Grant Books, $29.99). The collection of Italian recipes from 75 nonnas from all over Italy transported me into the heart of their homes, the kitchen, and provoked memories of my trip to Italy.
Handmade pasta styles range from Giuseppa’s pici (a very thick spaghetti) that is simple to make to Anna’s lumachelle della duchessa (tiny, ridged, cinnamon scented tubes). What makes this cookbook great is the extraordinary stories of these ordinary women and shows you how with the right know-how and a few good ingredients, truly authentic Italian cooking is simple, beautiful, and achievable.
“Pasta: The Ultimate Cookbook,” by Serena Cosmo (2017, Cider Mill Press, $39.95), might just become your pasta “bible.” The 800-page volume details the origins and uses of 350 types of pasta and noodles from around the world, as well as the ingredients and equipment that can be used to make your own. Several pages cover the art of cooking both dried and fresh pasta. I learned that the mineral content and temperature of water used in making your own pasta can affect the quality of the dough. It made me think, it might be the same reason Brooklyn bagels are considered the best by many of us. As you will see, the author’s in-depth headnotes for the recipes add to the enjoyment of the book.
In the forward, she writes, “A great wish of mine is that you, the reader, will find inspiration in the pages of this book. Inspiration that turns into a pasta, noodle, or dumpling dish so delicious that it makes your loved one’s smile, perhaps even purr, as you all enjoy a wonderful meal together. Good food is such a satisfying unifier. But enough talk, let’s make some pasta together!” Here are two recipes from the book.
Fettuccine Alfredo
The headnote says, “This iconic Italian American pasta dish was invented in 1914 by a Roman restaurateur named Alfredo di Lelio. Desperate to have his pregnant and nauseous wife eat something, he cooked up some fettuccine and seasoned it with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. When his creation got his wife eating again, he decided to put the simple dish on his restaurant’s menu and named it, very humbly, after himself. (Why not after the woman carrying his child, I’ll never know.) Shortly thereafter, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, two Hollywood silent film stars in Rome on their honeymoon, wandered in for a bite to eat and fell in love again . . . with this dish.
It didn’t take long for word to get out in the States, bringing Mr. di Lelio a parade of vacationing movie starlets along with troupes of well-heeled tourists intent on rubbing elbows with Hollywood royalty. Ironically, despite its birthplace, fettuccine Alfredo has become a much more popular dish in the United States than it ever has been in Italy. This is perhaps because, unlike the plainer Italian version, which contains only butter and Parmigiano and is served predominantly to young children and convalescing adults, the Italian American version added lavish amounts of heavy cream somewhere along the way. This version stays faithful to its Italian origins and gets its creaminess from the emulsion between the melted butter, grated cheese, and starchy pasta water.”
4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Salt
¾ pound fettuccine or other long pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper.
Cut the 4 tablespoons of butter into 4 pieces and set aside to soften as you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add salt (1 tablespoon for every 4 cups water) and stir. Add the fettuccine and stir for first minute to prevent any sticking. Cook according to the package instructions, draining the pasta 2 minutes short of the directed cooking time. The pasta should be tender but still very firm.
About 4 minutes before you will need to drain the fettuccine, transfer 1 cup pasta water to a skillet large enough to hold the finished pasta dish. Bring to a gentle simmer, then whisk in the butter, a piece at a time, until emulsified. Whisking constantly, gradually add the Parmigiano, making sure what you’ve added is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce before adding more (caution: rushing this part creates globs of cheese in the sauce
Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water (though you will most likely not need all of it). Return the empty pot to the stove and immediately turn the heat to high. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon butter and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Quickly add the drained pasta and toss until all the liquid at the bottom of the pot has been absorbed.
Transfer the pasta to the skillet with the cheese sauce and toss to coat, adding more of the pasta water as needed, until the noodles are evenly coated.
Divide the fettuccine among four warmed bowls. Serve piping hot, dusted with a good crack or two of pepper and more Parmigiano (or pass the grated cheese at the table. Makes 4 servings.
Herbed Couscous Pilaf with Cranberries and Pine Nuts
The headnote says, “This tasty and aromatic side dish pairs beautifully with grilled meats and fish; I also like it as a side for a frittata. It’s a big hit with kids too.”
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 shallots (about 5 ounces), minced (about 1 cup)
Salt
1 cup couscous
1 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup pine nuts
Handful chopped fresh parsley
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the olive oil and let heat for a minute. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring a few times, until tender, about 5 minutes.
Raise the heat to medium-high, stir in the couscous, and cook for a minute. Add just enough broth to cover the couscous by ¼ inch. Add salt to taste, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes.
As the couscous rests, toast the pine nuts. Put them in a skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until they acquire a golden color, 4 to 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and stir well. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Fluff the couscous with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in the parsley, thyme, cranberries, and pine nuts until well combined and serve. Makes 8 servings as a side dish.
Stephen Fries, is Professor Emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, in New Haven, CT. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 15 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, CT. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Stephen@stephenfries.com For more, go to stephenfries.com.
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