Emilia - Romagna:
Articles

D.

Who invented the pasta?

R.

We have to go back in time to try to find an answer to this question. Some ancient books credit Marco Polo, other point to immigrants coming from the Far East, still others say that the Mongols brought it to Europe. What is the truth?

Using a logical approach, we may believe that, much as it happened with bread, pasta was most likely a 'spontaneous' food, that stemmed from the discovery and use of cereals, whose cultivation arose almost simultaneously among different races in different parts of the planet.

The cereals had earlier become the base of many world diets and, in most cases, were cooked in salted water after being harvested at first from spontaneous growth and later, selected and cultivated. Subsequently, mankind started milling and grinding them to make flour, which was then kneaded and flattened into sheets of pasta dough and, finally, shaped into the wide variety of pasta shapes that we know today.

	Maccheroni

At the beginning, pasta was not a food served at the Italian noble or princely tables, since it was eaten by hand. In 1787, Goethe writes in his diary "Travel to Italy" that the Maccheroni pasta is a "delicate pasta, made with fine flour, mixed and kneaded at length, boiled and shaped in certain shapes". He then goes on describing snapshot of Neapolitan lifestyle, describing the job of the maccheroni vendors who, at every corner of trafficked roads, "with their saucepans filled with boiling oil are busy, especially during the 'lean days' (which is, when the Catholic religion forbids eating meat)", preparing maccheroni, generating "an unbelievable amount of sales", so much so that "thousands of people take their meals away wrapped in paper".

It was only around the early 1800s that Gennaro Spadaccini, an entrepreneurial chamberlain at the court of King Ferdinand the Second, invented the fork with four short tips, the tool that has since become common on every western table. With the advent of the fork, pasta started to be served at all Italian courts and, from there, spread across the whole world.

Pasta has since become the most Italian of all foods, the one that is instinctively associated with Italy worldwide.

To this day, the Italian pasta still the best everywhere, the true pride of Italian cuisine and the companion that Italians meet daily at their dinner table throughout history and all social strata.

D.

What are the nutritional values of pasta?

R.

Pasta has an elevated energetic value and a reasonable protein content of about 11-12 percent. It is highly digestible and its carbohydrate content is 70 to 75 percent. The caloric value is around 350 calories per 100 grams. The fat content on the other hand, is very low.

Pasta does not have many vitamins and its mineral content is unbalanced, with a high percentage of potassium. It is through the addition of other ingredients such as meat, seafood, legumes, vegetables and sauces of various kind that its nutritional values are positively modified. These are the characteristics that helped make it a worldwide success.

As mentioned, today pasta is a 'global' product in addition to being the queen of the Mediterranean diet. The proof, even in times such as these, with the wild success and hype that surround a variety of diets in Italy, pasta is still the central national ingredient and Italy is the major exponent of the Mediterranean diet worldwide.

Thus, without any doubt, we may define pasta a healthful and balanced food.

D.

Is pasta a fattening food?

R.

The idea that pasta is fattening is without merit. Pasta represents one of the best and 'cleanest' fuels for the human body. Its carbohydrates are the major source of energy. Burning, they favor the mobilization of the accumulated fat, as opposed to what meat does.

Pasta, especially the whole wheat kind, contains a high percentage of fibers that keep the intestines active and fight obesity. The presence of minerals some vitamins, especially the vitamins B, contribute to its being healthful and nutritious. In addition, it provides a relatively low amount of calories even in large quantities.

The secret to staying lean or even to losing weight, is seasoning it with a little olive oil and accompanying it with vegetables.

D.

Can you advise our readers about how to cook pasta at its best?

R.

First of all, when purchasing pasta read the label and make sure that the content matches the description. Choose pasta made in Italy and make sure that the product matches the basic principles of hygiene and characteristics.

A good, dry pasta must meet a few essential requirements such as:

• Straw yellow color
• Be visually homogeneous
• Pleasant flavor and scent
• Bubble free dough
• 'Glassy' consistency

D.

How many types of pasta exist?

R.

PASTA DI SEMOLA DI GRANO DURO (BRAN OR DURUM WHEAT PASTA)
In Italy, the dried pasta in its basic form or with the addition of flavoring, with or without eggs, is prepared exclusively with durum wheat. This is why the Italian pasta keeps its 'al dente' consistency, as opposed to what happens to pastas made with different kinds of flours.

PASTA SPECIALE (SPECIAL PASTA)
The so called special pasta is made with bran with the addition of other approved ingredients, such as vegetable (spinach or tomatoes), malt or gluten and filling of various kinds such as vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs, seafood and mushrooms.

PASTA ALL'UOVO (EGG PASTA)
The pasta all'uovo is made exclusively with bran and at least four shelled chicken eggs, weighing at least 200 grams per each kilo (about half a pound) of flour.

PASTA DIETETICA (LOW-CALORIES PASTA)
The pasta dietetica is made with the same basic ingredients as the regular pasta, but partially substitutes other products and is often enriched with vitamins and minerals. It has a lower content of glucose, or proteins, or calories, or sodium, and is made especially for people with specific health conditions, such as diabetics, people who do not tolerate glucose or who have heart conditions.

	Tagliatelle

PASTA FRESCA (FRESHLY MADE PASTA)
The queen of fresh pasta is the egg pasta with which tagliatelle, quadrucci, maltagliati and stuffed pastas such as lasagne, cannelloni, tortellini and ravioli are made. In making this pasta it is possible to use non-durum flour as well as other ingredients such as vegetables and various fillings, in similar ways as for the special dry pasta. For the freshly made egg pasta, fresh eggs must be used exclusively.

PASTA INTEGRALE (WHOLE WHEAT PASTA)
The pasta integrale is made with whole bran enriched with wheat fibers.

D.

How can pasta be cooked?

R.

It can be boiled, steamed, au gratin, sauteed and fried.

D.

Let's talk a little about rice.

R.

Rice is one of the most known and used grains all over the world. It was already known to humanity over 5,000 years ago. Its use is believed to precede the use of wheat.

D.

How many rice varieties exist?

R.

	Riso Comune	Riso Semifino	Riso Fino

The known varieties worldwide are in the hundreds, but in Italy there are about fifty.

The most known varieties may be subdivided in the following groups:

• Common rice, that has a small, rounded grain,
• Balilla, Originario, and riso semifino, that has a roundish grain bigger than the common one,
• Riso fino, with a long and thin grain,
• Ardizzone, Martelli, and Superfino, which is even bigger,
• Vialone, R.B.- Arboreo.

There are also special types of rice with added vitamins, puffed or parboiled. Another variety is the Avorio or Ambra rice.

D.

Could you give us some advise on how to cook rice?

R.

The first thing to remember is that cooking time is longer with better quality rice. It takes from 12-15 minutes to cook common rice, up to 20-25 minutes for the superfine rice.

Different varieties of rice are better suited for different recipes. To make rice desserts we prefer to use riso comune, in soups we would choose either riso comune or semifino, while for risotto, hors d'oeuvres and side dishes we would choose either riso fino or superfino

The most common cooking methods are three: saute with addition of broth, pilaf and boiled.

D.

What is the nutritional value of rice?

R.

Rice provides a good amount of calories (350 each 100 grams, which is, an higher percentage than the calories provided by bread), a small quantity of vegetable proteins (7 grams per each 100 grams) and a good percentage of sugar *(80 grams per each 100 grams). As to vitamins, it provides mostly PP, B1 and B2, while among minerals we count iron, phosphorus and calcium.

Because of its high digestibility, rice is the ideal food for people who want to avoid the after meal sleepiness. It's the perfect food for people who hit the road or go right back to work after a meal.

D.

Could you suggest some quick primo piatto dishes especially suited for singles?

R.

Penne all’arrabbiata; spaghetti alla carbonara; risotto con provola e zucchine; garganelli with cream, green peas and bell peppers; taglioline with clams and asparagus.

D.

How about a new, fresh recipe?

R.

Penne pasta with green apples, serves 4:

• 400 gr (about 14 oz.) smooth penne pasta
• 1 green apple
• 1 organic lemon
• 4-5 anchovies preserved in olive oil
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 sprig basil
• a pinch of marjoram
• a pinch of thyme
• 2 stems rosemary
• a few sage leafs
• extra virgin olive oil
• a pinch of coarse salt

D.

How about a full-flavored, traditional recipe with an inviting perfume and a sexy flair?

R.

Red onion soup

	Red onion soup

In Tropea, where the red onions are a local specialty, they are called "the reds without taboo". They are sweet, aromatic, digestible, and have a lot of healthful properties. A study revealed that they have also aphrodisiac properties and there are already talks about it being a natural Viagra!

Serves 4:

• 250 gr (about 8.8 oz.) pearl barley
• 2 red onions
• 1 celery stalk
• 300 gr (about 10.6 oz.) sliced home made bread
• 1.5 lt. (about 1.6 quarts) vegetable broth
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Wash barley under running water and set it apart after draining it.
Wash and chop celery.
In a saucepan, brown one and a half finely minced onions in extra virgin olive oil, add the chopped celery and, after a few minutes, the barley.
Add warm vegetable broth and bay leaves, dust with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for 25 minutes stirring from time to time.
In the meantime, in an oven pre-heated at 200°C (392°F) toast the bread cut into small cubes and, in a separate saucepan, brown the remaining onions sliced in Julienne style.
Just before serving, lay the toasted bread and onion on top of soup in each plate.

D.

Finally, could you list for us some typical Emilian primi piatti?

R.

	Tortellini
	Lasagne
	Strozzapreti
	Gramigna
	Passatelli

The place of honor goes to pasta dishes, especially pasta with fillings of various kinds such as tortelli or tortellini, cappelletti, anolini and cappellacci. Traditionally, pasta is always served as primo piatto, that is, between the hors d'oeuvres and the main course. It is usually served in soup plates and often sprinkled with abundant grated Parmigiano–Reggiano cheese. Emilia Romagna is particularly fond of home made pasta, seasoned with meat ragù, seafood sauce, vegetables, mushrooms, truffles and thousands of other delicious, creative ways.

Rice has a part in the traditional cuisine as well, especially in areas of the so-called Bassa (Low Land) and along the banks of River Po.

Gnocchi pasta is part of the local cuisine as well. It is made with a variety of ingredients and comes in different shapes, from Piacenza's pisarei, which is made of pasta dough, to the potato gnocchi and the ricotta and other cheese ones.

The most well known Emilian primi are:

• Tortellini or cappelletti: the so-called "Venus belly button", shaped as a belly button and filled with either ground meat and ham or just cheese. They are traditionally cooked and served in capon broth, but sometimes may be served without broth seasoned with cream.
• Lasagne: "sheets" of either regular or green pasta (obtained by adding spinach or other green vegetables to the dough), filled with layers of meat ragù and béchamel sauce with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, especially in Romagna.
• Cannelloni and garganelli: small, lined maccheroni, home made with the appropriate wood "comb".
• Strozzapreti: little, hand made pasta "sticks", seasoned with either vegetable sauce, sausage ragù, ham or porcini mushrooms.
• Tagliatelle: classic traditional Emilian primo piatto (overseas this dish is mistakenly known as "Spaghetti Bolognese"
• Ravioli,
• Tortelli or tortelloni,
• Crespelle,
• Gnocchi,
• Gramigna,
• Pasticcio di maccheroni,
• Pappardelle,
• Maltagliati,
• Passatelli.