Homemade Pasta - Love and Lemons (2023)

FAQs

How do you make homemade pasta taste better? ›

Cook your pasta to just before al dente.

Because pasta continues to cook after it's drained, remove it from the stovetop just before reaching the al dente stage. This is super important for thin pastas like angel hair and for pastas that will be baked with a sauce like lasagna.

Butternut or acorn squash, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion are all great options to add to a pasta dish, along with some minced garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Of course, you can also always make a homemade cheese sauce from milk or cream, grated cheese, flour or cornstarch, and salt and pepper.

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

If the pasta cooks in plain water, it will taste bland. Once the water has come to a rapid boil, toss in a tablespoon or two of salt. This will ensure that your pasta has the right texture and flavor.

Ingredients: Store-bought sauces use commodity ingredients purchased in bulk; restaurants generally pay more attention to each beginning with the tomatoes used. Some chefs opt for hand-selected fresh tomatoes, while others start with a great canned product. (Many cooks swear by the San Marzano brand.)

First, Italian pasta usually tastes better because it is made differently. Italian pasta has to adhere to strict standards that have been set by the government. Usually, Italian pasta is made from 100 percent durum wheat, which is usually called semolina flour. Therefore, Italian pasta is higher in protein.

Italian pasta typically has strict government quality standards and control around it, and is made with 100% durum wheat, called semolina flour, or semola di grano duro in Italian. This means that not only is the pasta higher in protein, but more importantly it stands up to the rigours of cooking well.

When the flour is kneaded with moisture (from the eggs), the protein forms strands of gluten that give the pasta its structure and strength. As well as providing water for the gluten, eggs also give fat, which enriches the dough, giving it a smooth, silky finish.

Using only the egg yolks creates a rich, golden dough. As the yolk is 48% water, 17% protein, and about 33% fat (compared to an egg white which is 90% water), the dough is stronger and produces silkier pasta.

Why do you boil water before adding pasta? ›

Boiling the water first is the best way to get firm, al dente pasta, according to Patel. "Alternatively, cooking pasta in boiling salted water allows the water to slowly absorb into the pasta," she said. "The proteins and starch have little time to interact, giving you a perfect al dente noodle.

Garnish your pasta with a grating of lemon zest, some crunchy breadcrumbs or even a crumble of crispy bacon to add texture and taste. Herb it up. Experiment with lots of fresh herbs in your pasta dishes.

You can add things such as halved cherry tomatoes, blanched vegetables or even frozen peas. If you don't have any pasta sauce, then add a handful of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese or some chopped olives, capers or chunks of cooked sausage.

Flavor It

Even better, season it! Taste the sauce once it's warm and add some seasoning. Maybe it needs a touch of salt, red pepper flakes, or some fresh garlic to liven it up. You could add dried or fresh herbs too: oregano, basil, thyme, tarragon, parsley—they're all great!

Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. Dried herbs and spices should be added at the beginning of the cook time so that they have time to bloom.

Blandness usually comes from lack of seasoning. When you prepare a dish like spaghetti sauce you want to season as you go, not just at the end. Salt enhances the flavor of foods as well as performs some important functions during cooking, like drawing moisture out of ingredients and intensifying their flavor.

Pasta dough also needs some plasticity for it to be moulded into all of those wonderful shapes. All-purpose flour does what it says on the tin, so it's perfectly fine to use for making pasta. However, most pasta recipes will recommend either semola or “00” flour.

Fresh pasta is often lauded as superior to dried pasta. One reason might be because the concept of 'freshness' has become synonymous with quality. Products that are touted as 'fresh' are often thought of as wholesome, healthier and more flavoursome, free of troublesome preservatives. And most of the time, they are.

What is the secret to good spaghetti? ›

IF YOU COOK spaghetti in a big pot of water, drain it, then toss it with sauce, you are pouring a lot of flavor down the drain, says Vendemmia chef Brian Clevenger. “The trick to good pasta is cooking it in the sauce,” he says.

The reason for sprinkling a pinch of sugar into a simmering saucepan of tomatoes is simple: sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce. The exact acid levels in tomatoes can vary quite a bit depending on whether they're fresh or canned, the tomato variety, and the time of year.

The reason why you should not break pasta is that it's supposed to wrap around your fork. That's how long pasta is supposed to be eaten. You rotate your fork, and it should be long enough to both stick to itself and get entangled in a way that it doesn't slip off or lets sauce drip from it.

1) Barilla Pasta

The company keeps being run by his descendants: the three brothers Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. Barilla Pasta produces many types of pasta and is the biggest pasta producer in the world (40-45% of the Italian market and 25% of the US market).

Barilla argues that its product packaging "is not materially deceptive to a reasonable consumer" and that its trademarked slogan — "Italy's #1 Brand of Pasta" — is used to "identify Barilla (not Italy) as the source of the product."

Thou MUST conserve the pasta water.

The starchy water is essential for helping to bind the sauce. Just before you drain the pasta, save about 1/4 of cup of the starchy water to add to the sauce. It will thicken the sauce and help it bind to the pasta.

Italian Pasta Rule #1:

This is especially true for pasta with seafood. With dishes like tagliatelle alla bolognese or carbonara, though, an added sprinkling of extra cheese is customary. As a rule of thumb, only add grated cheese to your pasta dish if the waiter offers you a spoonful.

''In Italy it is customary to first place the pasta in a bowl or on a plate,'' Mr. Giovanetti said. ''You then spoon the sauce on top and finally cheese, if you use it at all. You use your fork and spoon to toss the pasta with sauce and cheese, and you then eat it with your fork alone.

Pasta from north Italy is often made with soft wheat flour (all-purpose or type 00), which grows primarily in the northern regions. Since soft wheat flour is low in protein, the addition of eggs is required to bind the dough together, resulting in silky, golden sheets of pasta.

Why do you let pasta dough rest? ›

The resting period allows the flour to continue to hydrate, and the gluten network to relax. Most experts will tell you that if you tried to roll out your dough at this point, disaster would ensue—your dough would be too dry and too elastic to roll out.

Flattish yolks and watery whites can affect texture of your pasta dough and make it difficult to thread it. However, if you're seeking extra flavor and silkier pasta, use more yolks. Professional chefs suggest adding three yolks for every egg white. Remember to always use eggs at room temperature!

Olive oil adds fat and flavor, and makes the dough more supple and easier to roll out. A little bit of added water can help correct the texture of the dough, making a dry dough softer, though if you add too much, you risk mushy noodles that are prone to sticking to one another.

Olive oil lends great flavor to pasta, but it makes the dough brittle and prone to cracking if it dries. It's best not to use olive oil if you are shaping the dough into tortellini or ravioli. If you want to add olive oil for flavor, you can add just a little—about 1 teaspoon per cup of flour is a good ratio.

Rest. Place the dough in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the fridge – this is an extremely important step, so don't skip it! 4.

Usually the pasta is tossed with a sauce after draining and this will prevent it from sticking together. If you are cooking pasta for a salad then you can toss the pasta with a small drizzle of olive oil after cooking and this will help to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

Don't drain all of the pasta water: Pasta water is a great addition to the sauce. Add about a ¼-1/2 cup or ladle full of water to your sauce before adding the pasta. The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together; it will also help thicken the sauce.

Recipe Tips

If you don't have double cream, use single cream or crème fraîche instead. Soft cheese, such as cream cheese, can be used as alternative too – it's richer than the cream, so 100g/3½oz should be plenty, along with an extra splash of water.

Shocking pasta with cold water after it comes out of the pot will indeed stop the pasta from cooking more, but it will also rinse away all the delightful starch that helps sauce cling to noodles.

What can I put on pasta instead of sauce? ›

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

This seasoning combines the taste of garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, onion, black pepper, chilli and salt. This taste of these herbs and spices is sure to transport your senses to an Italian kitchen. Add the Snapin Pasta Mix to your pasta sauces and treat yourself and your family to a delicious Italian meal at home.

How to Make an Emergency Pasta Water Replacement. Mix together ¼ teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 cup of water and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until hot. Use this mixture as you would use pasta water to create a sauce with a silky consistency.

The only things that come to mind is that the flour is old. It takes on a rather strong taste when it has been kept too long especially in its own bag. I have glass gallon jars that I keep mine in and it helps keep longer, or you are using too much flour.

Finally, taste the pasta before serving it. If it seems bland, chances are it just needs another hit of salt. You could also add additional punch by topping each plate with a hint of one of the ingredients in the dish—a couple of mint leaves, a sprinkling of chopped parsley, or a pinch of extra lemon zest.

Freshly-chopped parsley, garlic, butter, more olive oil, freshly-grated Parmesan… yum. The ratio in the recipe I referenced earlier is 4-6 minced cloves per 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, with ½ cup of chopped parsley and shaved Parmesan each.

Homemade pasta is always going to be fresher, healthier, and tastier than store-bought pasta. But when it comes to dry and fresh pasta, the answer is a little more complicated. It's all down to the dish you're preparing and the sauce you're cooking up.

Is homemade pasta worth the trouble? ›

Once you learn how to make pasta at home, you'll want fresh pasta for every meal. Fresh pasta is said to have better taste and better texture. In our opinion, the labor and time it takes to make fresh pasta is a fair trade for the perfect Italian dish.

Do not rinse the pasta, though. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. Rinsing pasta will cool it and prevent absorption of your sauce. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad.

If the pasta is overcooked it becomes mushy. It is better to have it undercooked rather that overcooked. The pasta should be slightly undercooked if it is going to be added to another dish, expose to further cooking, or added to a hot soup.

Stir: Do not forget to stir. It may sound obvious, but this simple step can easily be forgotten through everyday distractions and the rush of cooking dinner. Without stirring, the pasta will for sure stick together and cook unevenly.

Yes, with any kind of 'stewing' sauce, the flavour improves the longer you cook it (provided it's a slow, gentle process). The longer you leave it, the more chance the flavours have to 'marry'. I have a recipe for a pasta sauce that calls for 6 hours of slow simmering!

All-purpose flour does what it says on the tin, so it's perfectly fine to use for making pasta. However, most pasta recipes will recommend either semola or “00” flour.

Rest. Place the dough in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the fridge – this is an extremely important step, so don't skip it!

There are two main kinds of pasta: fresh and dried. Even though fresh pasta is often depicted as the most traditional, it's not actually the most commonly consumed in Italy. Not only is industrially made dried pasta more convenient, it has different properties that make it best suited for a number of preparations.