Pasta Bites

Pasta Bites

Pasta is an Italian type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. While we do think of Pasta as culturally Italian food, it is likely the descendent of ancient Asian noodles. A common belief about Pasta is that it was brought to Italy from china by Macro polo during the 13th century.

You will be surprise to know that There are at least 50 different types of pasta. Each type of pasta is unique and brings something different to the dish it used in. There are two major classifications: Pasta Fresca(fresh) and Pasta Secca(dried). From here, there are more then 400 unique types of pasta: sheets, strips, long strands, cylinders, unique shapes, flavors, and many other local varieties.

1  Bolognese sauce

Bolognese sauce is a meat based sauce in Italian cuisine, typical of the city of bologna. It is customarily used to dress tagliatelle al ragu and to prepare lasagne  alla bolognese. In the absence of tagliatelle, it can also be used with other broad, flat pasta shapes, such as pappardelle or fettuccine. Dried herbs, Dried oregano, basil and thyme are perfect to add to a bolognese. Try one teaspoon at a time in the early stages when you just add the meat, but don't go to overboard as they are quite strong.

2  Spaghetti aglio e olio

Spaghetti aglio e olio is a traditional Italian pasta dish from naples. The dish is made by lightly sauteeing sliced, minced, or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of dried red chili flakes, and tossing with spaghetti. It starts by gently cooking garlic in a skillet with olive oil until it's very lightly golden. I often add a pinch of red paper flakes, which technically makes the dish aglio, olio, e peperoncino. They add a pleasant, warm heat without over complicating  the basic garlic and oil flavor.

3  Pesto Pasta

Pesto, or to refer to the original dish pesto alla genovese,is a sauce originating in genoa, the capital city of  liguria, Italy. It traditionally consists of crushed garlic, european pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, hard cheese such as parmigiano- Reggiano or pecorino sardo, all blended with olive oil. The original Pesto alla genovese, the quintessential pesto recipe, is made with genovese basil , coarse salt, garlic, ligurian extra virgin olive oil, European pine nuts and a greated cheese like parmigiano- Reggiano or Grana pandano and Pecorino sardo or Pecorino Romano.

4  Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is one of the most well known Italian pasta dish. It is typically of the sicilian cuisine created originally in catania, sicily, Italy. The original recipe is made with Macaroni, tomatoes, fried aubergines, grated ricotta salata cheese, and basil. Pasta alla Norma is a calssic, sicilian dish that is full of rich flavors. The roasted eggplant and tomato sauce are an incredibly satisfying.. Pasta alla Norma , made with baked or roasted eggplant, ricotta, tomatoes, pasta, and fresh herbs, is an authentic...

5  Penne alla vodka

Penne alla vodka is a pasta dish made with vodka and penne pasta, usually made with heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, onions, and some times sausage, pancetta or peas. The recipe became very popular in Italy and in the united states around the 1980, when it was offered to discotheque customers. It's counter- intuitive, but it definitely changes the sauce. It first tastes peppery, and then as herbal flavors you just don't expect. clearly vodka is only supposedly flavorless, because you can totally taste the difference.

6  Cacio e pepe

Cacio e pepe is a pasta dish from modern Roman cuisine, "cacio e pepe" means " cheese and pepper" in several central italian dialects. As the name suggests, the ingredients of the dish are very simple: black pepper, grated pecorino Romano cheese, and spaghetti, or traditionally tonnarello. The heat melts the cheese and the starches in the water help bind the pepper and cheese to the pasta.

7  Carbonara

Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with egg, hard chees , cured pork, and black pepper. the dish arrived at it's modern from, with its current name, in the middle of the 20th century. The cheese is usually pecorino Romano, Parmigino- Reggiano, or a combination of the two. Carbonara means roughly " in the manner of coal miners", and the likely origin of the name is a Roman restaurant named Carbonara. However, it may also have earned its name because the flecks of black pepper appear like coal dust against the creamy eggs, cheese, and pasta.

8  Spaghetti alle Vongole

Spaghetti alle vongole, Italian for " spaghetti with clams", is a dish that is very popular throughout Italy, especially in Campania. Spaghetti alle Vongole  solution is simple, pluck the cooked clams from their shells, then loss them back into the pasta. save just a new shell on clams to add as a garnish- an important garnish that, aside from looking nice, lets your guests know they're eating fresh clams and not sauce from a jar.

9  Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is an Italian pasta dish invented in naples in the mid 20th century. Its ingredients typically include tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, olives, capers and garlic, in addition to pasta. The explanations of the origin of Puttanesca are many. just as the sources and Scholars who have tried to trace the first inventive chef who began to call this spicy dish ' puttanesca' . The owner only had some tomatoes, olives and capers, the base for the sauce, and that's how he came up with the puttanesca sauce.

10  Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo or Fettuccine al burro is an Italian pasta dish or fresh fettuccine tossed with butter and parmesan cheese. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich sauce coating the pasta. While this tasty dish offers healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, its other nutritional facts may give you pause. The saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol content in Fettuccine Alfredo make this a food best eaten in moderation.