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The uncontested queen of the Italian gastronomy is the pasta, and among its types the dry pasta is certainly the king. Dried Italian-style pasta is usually made from durum rice, wheat semolina or flour (which gives it a light yellow color) water, and eventually eggs, which is mixed, kneaded and formed into various shapes, and boiled prior to consumption. Pasta comes in many different shapes and sizes: there are simple string-shaped pasta, ribbon-shaped ones, short tubes, large sheets, tiny grains and hollow pasta stuffed with filling. The tiniest shapes are often used in soups, long ribbons or strands with sauces, and tubes and fanciful shapes in casseroles and pasta salads.
Gnocchi are often listed among pasta dishes, although they are quite different in ingredients (they are generally done with potatoes) and preparation.
Common pasta sauces in northern Italy include pesto and also bolognese; in central Italy tomato sauce and amatriciana.

To have a great pasta, it's fundamental the purchase and the utilization of products of good quality that maintain well the cooking and that have a good yield. To be able to obtain a good result is necessary to put much caution to the purchase: in fact, is preferable to choose those products that have the better guarantees of quality.

How to estimate quality?

The qualitative factors can be summarized in 5 points:

1) The origin of the bran from which is produced the durum wheat
2) The features of the bran
3) The processing of the pasta
4) Eventual additional ingredients
5) The hygiene of preservation


For the preparation of the mixture water is added to the bran. Obtained the mixture of the bran with the water and if necessary with other ingredients, to get ready the pasta, the drawing is the next step. The drawing is a very important phase to obtain a good quality product and it is realized with the "draw-plate", a special tool that determines the shape of the pasta; in practice the mixture is pushed against the draw-plate which, thanks to holes formed, allows the exit of the pasta with the chosen shape.

The successive stage is the drying process. The drying process can be rapid or slow and it can have times and temperatures that vary according to the format, from six to twenty-eight hours for the time, and from 40° to the 80° the temperatures.

The definitive evaluation of the pasta is given by the taster's personal taste.

The tasting would be done without adding any seasoning to the pasta or at most pouring a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive on a champion, to appraise the final capacity of the seasoning.

The references to consider during the tasting to obtain some judgment parameters are:

The consistency
The homogeneity of the cooking
The stickiness
The flavor
The cooking seal

The consistency: a consisting pasta is that one which, when cooked in optimal manner, presents itself firm and elastic does, doesn't yield easily to the pressure and after that regains its initial shape.

The homogeneity of the cooking: the ideal pasta should result consisting in every part.

The stickiness: after the cooking the pasta is sticky and it gathers and presents a sticky surface still before to be seasoned. This lack it would be caused by the type of matter used (flour mixed to the bran), or to the not entirely perfect technology of production.

The flavor: is a term that expresses the typical taste, aromatic and fragrant characteristics of the pasta. It is general judgment that indicates the pleasantness of the feelings during the tasting.

The cooking seal: the seal of the pasta after the cooking and draining and before the seasoning helps to verify its quality.

The most important test for the pasta is certainly the cooking.
Normally the cooking time is indicated on the pack.

Some advice:
• For the cooking of the pasta use a wide and capable pot
• Measure out the water in the proportion of 1 liter for every 100 grams of pasta
• Use kitchen salt marine in the measure of 10 grams for every liter of water
• The salt should be added in the moment of the boiling
• Before you pour the pasta in the pot, wait until the water starts again to boil and the salt is completely dissolved.
• The pasta should be immersed all in a time and in the pot, where the boiling is stronger. Blend it immediately with a wooden spoon.
• Cook the pasta without covering the pot, on a bright flame, blending frequently
• When the pasta is ready, before to drain pour in the pot a glass of cold water, to stop the cooking
• Drain the pasta "al dente". In this way, the pasta is more digestible.
• Preserve a little of the cooking water when if you want season the pasta with cheese sauces, cream or ricotta.