Pasta Dishes
Ah, pasta. It has been a cornerstone in European diets for centuries, and is a staple in just about everyone’s pantry worldwide. The reason why it is so wildly popular is because it is very quick and easy to prepare with basic ingredients, it is very inexpensive, it can be made from scratch with just a few ingredients, and it is extremely delicious! Pasta is extremely versatile, and can be served not only as a main course, but as a side dish, garnish, or even an appetizer (depending on the pasta). It can be dressed up to create some exquisite, five star meals; and it can also be prepared simply for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Pasta dates back as far as the very first century–possibly even earlier. It is a staple in Italian cooking, and is usually made with durum wheat, flour, and eggs. There are literally hundreds of different shapes of pasta, which all complement different sauces and preparations differently. Of course there are a few pasta dishes which everybody knows and is familiar with, and can whip together in no time from a box of prepared pasta, or perhaps a jar of sauce–macaroni and cheese, and spaghetti. Both are usual staples in the diets of American children because they can be prepared in about the amount of time it takes to boil the noodles. From start to finish, these dishes are usually ready in 15 minutes or less, and can be quite tasty for parents and children alike.
Of course, there are ways to dress up pasta dishes to make them a bit more appealing to a more discerning palate. Spaghetti can be made with a homemade ragout sauce, or different variations of a type of Italian Sunday gravy with different meats prepared in the sauce to complement the spaghetti. Macaroni and cheese can be made from scratch, starting with a roux and making a cheese sauce with your favorite types of cheeses, all poured over macaroni or shells, topped with bread crumbs and butter, and baked until golden, bubbly, and delicious. For those who really want to impress, a farfalle pasta tossed with a beurre blanc sauce and topped with some shaved truffles, steamed lobster, and olive oil is one which will be sure to delight.
Pasta dishes can also be prepared as an appetizer. Not all pasta dishes are capable of being finger food, but something like ravioli, which is then breaded and fried, can make a wonderful appetizer for a family dinner or gathering. Dipped in marinara sauce, it is a delightful treat to prelude other pasta dishes for dinner.
Many people often think of pasta dishes as sides for a barbecue or picnic. There are so many different ways to make pasta salad as a side dish, the choices can be overwhelming. Spaghetti noodles with a quick Italian vinaigrette, black olives, zucchini, and parmesan cheese are a great way to toss something together quickly. Other pasta dishes which act as sides can be a basic preparation of egg noodles or flat noodles seasoned with salt, butter, chives, and topped with cheese.
Pasta dishes are some of the most delicious to prepare. They can make a great quick meal, an exquisite five star dinner, act as an appetizer, or a side dish. Pasta itself is relatively inexpensive, and for this reason it is also very popular. The methods of preparing pasta dishes are positively endless.
Vegetarian Pasta Dishes
Pasta has received some bad press lately, as carbohydrates have been targeted by several weight loss diets. Carbohydrates are actually an essential nutrient and the most ready source of energy for the body. Studies have shown, though, that it is not the pasta, it is other ingredients included in many of the heavier pasta dishes that are the culprits in weight gain. These are loaded with calories and fats and contribute to weight gain and even some chronic conditions like cardiovascular problems. Just think of the deep cheese coverings, the meat-saturated sauces or the rich cream sauces that accompany so many pasta dinners. These are simply packed with unhealthy fats and calories! Compare that to a delightful meal of wholegrain pasta with portobello mushrooms and fresh asparagus drizzled with garlic olive oil, what a difference! Whether you are concerned with weight loss or just wanting to cut back on your consumption of meat, vegetarian pasta dishes are a delightful way to enjoy naturally energy-giving pasta accompanied by a host of healthy vegetables. Increasing numbers of health conscious people are moving towards a vegetarian diet. You may not have achieved going totally vegetarian, but trying a few meatless meals each week is a good start on lowering the amount of animal products in your diet. Most vegetarian pasta dishes are quick and easy to prepare, making them the perfect fit for today's busy lifestyles. All you need are wholesome wholegrain pasta, healthy olive oil, an abundance of fresh or dried herbs and your choice of delicious fresh vegetables to make a hearty yet healthy evening meal. One of the simplest vegetarian pasta dishes is pasta with vine-ripened tomatoes, basil and beans. Simply cook the pasta, dice several luscious ripe tomatoes, chop some fresh basil and open a can of black or white beans. Then, toss the ingredients together with olive oil. This is perfect served cold as a side dish or at room temperature for a main dish. For those … [Read More...]
Chicken Pasta Dishes
If you are on a budget, or just looking for healthy ideas for meals to cook you and your family, it is good to have a standby food that you can rely on. This article is about the two most flexible, and delicious foods you can buy - in fact I would hazard a guess that you have the two already in your kitchen right now and these make a great combination in chicken pasta dishes! Number one is pasta. It is easy to make a quick and nutritious meal with pasta. It is one of those foods that should be everyone's cupboard, if only to be brought out in an emergency. Pasta only takes about 10 minutes to cook, and you can add different ingredients and sauces to really liven it up. All dried pasta should be cooked in a large saucepan, full of water where you have added a liberal amount of salt, the salt really brings out the flavor. One well known tip is to add olive oil to the water which stops the pasta from sticking together. This isn't used by most pasta chefs because it also stops the sauces from sticking to the pasta, but you can also stop the pasta from sticking together by stirring the pan occasionally - a bit harder work but worth the effort. If you are posh, or just want to impress someone with your cooking, you might want to try fresh pasta - as it tastes more delicate and is noticeably lighter. But whatever you choose, you can't live on pasta alone..... The number two food is chicken. What food is more ubiquitous than chicken? It is low in fat, high in protein, and absorbs any flavor. Everything tastes like chicken. You can fry it, boil it, bake it, and cook with anything, and it will still taste great. So if I love chicken, and I love pasta, I thought I should throw them together to create.... chicken pasta dishes! Chicken and pasta alone is a bit plain, because they both have only a very fine flavor. But they absorb strong flavors very well, and you only need a little bit of strong flavor to make it really tasty. Below I … [Read More...]
Healthy Pasta Dishes
Pasta is a wonderfully versatile ingredient that is healthy and filling. It is one of the staple Mediterranean foods, and is eaten as spaghetti in Italy, and cous cous in North Africa, and has widely spread across the world. Its versatility has meant that it has spread to the rest of Europe, Asia, Africa and america. This adaptability of pasta is one the strongest points of pasta - combined with virtually any food you make make a series of healthy pasta dishes. It is equally at home in a poor students kitchen, or the most expensive Italian restaurant. You can buy a bewildering range of different types of pasta. Pasta can be fresh or dried, made of durum wheat or buckwheat and flavored with spinach, tomato, egg or beetroot. It comes in different colors, which taste slightly different. It is widely said that fresh pasta is superior, but dried pasta has its uses. Fresh pasta needs to be stored in the fridge and consumed in a few days, while dried pasta can keep for years in an airtight container. Dried pasta is normally sold in every food shop and supermarkets, and is lot cheaper. It tends to be have a firmer, denser flavor, and suit stronger sauces. Fresh pasta cooks in less than a minute, and has a lighter flavor to it. It absorbs the flavors of the surrounding dishes and is more subtle in its taste. Both fresh and dried pasta can make equally healthy pasta dishes. Pasta is sold in many different shapes and sizes. This is not only for aesthetics, but makes a difference to the taste of pasta dishes. Cous cous for example, tastes very different from macaroni, just because of its size and shape. Each pasta shape tastes different as the pasta is a different density, and each allows the sauce to cling to it in different ways. Thinner pastas tend to suit thinner, more oily sauces such as spaghetti bolognese, while wider pastas should be used with chunkier sauces - such as lasagna. Tiny shaped pastas can also suit noodle soups. … [Read More...]
Easy Pasta Dishes
Everyone loves pasta, in all its variety of forms and textures, and with all the ways it can be used to make tasty, healthy meals. What you may not have realized is that pasta lends itself to easy pasta dishes as well. There is really no end to the dishes that can be created using variations of a few simple ingredients. And if you like being creative in the kitchen - which most of us do - easy pasta dishes are the best, because you can try out new ideas and combinations with little if any chance of making something that no one wants to eat! Whether you're cooking for two or twenty, easy pasta dishes are fun to make and will please even the most finicky eaters. The place to start is at the beginning with the pasta. Different shapes of pasta have different textures when cooked, but you can't go wrong with the usual favorites - spaghetti, fettucine, or linguine for the long kind, macaroni, penne, or rigatoni for the cut small tubular type, and bow-tie or spirals for the occasional exotic dish. Cooking pasta is an art in itself, but I like to use the energy-saving method whenever possible. Bring the desired amount of pasta (in plenty of water, naturally) to a boil, let it boil for 5 minutes, then cover it tightly and remove it from the heat. Let it stand for 20 minutes, stir and drain. To get the firmness you like will take a bit of experimentation, but this method usually works out just fine. The next ingredient to consider in easy pasta dishes is the type of sauce. Tomato-based sauces are always welcome at the table, and there are so many already-made varieties to choose from these days that you really can't go wrong. If you don't like the prepared sauces, you can of course make your own, but it won't be as easy. There are also creamy and cheesy sauces available already prepared, and these can be useful too. But making your own cream sauce is pretty easy, and I usually go for home-made if possible. Just use some whole milk or cream, real butter, and grated … [Read More...]
