Why are they so complicated? My local supermarket has American-
manufactured, Italian-named noodles of various types which have
interesting names for what I perceive to be the same stuff in
different shapes. 3 pkgs for $1, on sale. In the veg dept., there are
"yock noodles" for $4/lb. My Asian grocery has a bewildering
assortment of noodle-like things made from various basic starches,
some of which require cooking, soaking it hot/cold water, or, for all
I know, praying over. I could cope if all rice noodle things were the
'soak' kind, and all soybean ones required boiling, but rice stick,
rice noodles, wholegrain, soba, buckwheat, semolina, are different
critters, how do I throw together a pad thai without undue anxiety?

[Interesting (to me) sidebar. "yock noodle" in Google turns up only
one *local* restaurant reference, and in *my* town, 'though the tem
is displayed as a generic in supermarket displays. This area *doesn't*
have a large Asian population. Strange.}

"Frogleg" > wrote in message
...
> Why are they so complicated? My local supermarket has American-
> manufactured, Italian-named noodles of various types which have
> interesting names for what I perceive to be the same stuff in
> different shapes. 3 pkgs for $1, on sale. In the veg dept., there are
> "yock noodles" for $4/lb. My Asian grocery has a bewildering
> assortment of noodle-like things made from various basic starches,
> some of which require cooking, soaking it hot/cold water, or, for all
> I know, praying over. I could cope if all rice noodle things were the
> 'soak' kind, and all soybean ones required boiling, but rice stick,
> rice noodles, wholegrain, soba, buckwheat, semolina, are different
> critters, how do I throw together a pad thai without undue anxiety?
>
> [Interesting (to me) sidebar. "yock noodle" in Google turns up only
> one *local* restaurant reference, and in *my* town, 'though the tem
> is displayed as a generic in supermarket displays. This area *doesn't*
> have a large Asian population. Strange.}

That would explain why it's generic there, since it's a corruption of
Chinese.

Do you live in Maryland? There is a dish there called Yackamein that is
unlike the actual Chinese version.

Italian past is basincally the same, anlthough different flavorings are
sometimes added. That said, the texture of each kind of pasta is different
because of the shape, size, and cooking time. Some pastas are better at
cupping thick red sauces. Others are better with the silky white saucces
associated with northern Italy. Pasta made with spinach, squid ink and
other flavorings do well in specific dishes.
Asian noodles come from different countries- the flours with which they are
made affect cooking time and preparation. Actually, these noodles aren't
hard o figure out, one you have a cookbook. Any good general cookbook on
Asia (or specialty ones on the various regions) will explain how to cook
specific kinds of noodles, and which dishes they go with.

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 13:31:50 GMT, Frogleg > wrote:

>Why are they so complicated? My local supermarket has American-
>manufactured, Italian-named noodles of various types which have
>interesting names for what I perceive to be the same stuff in
>different shapes. 3 pkgs for $1, on sale.

Unless the box specifies "egg", all pasta made by one company will be
the same. It's the shape that varies. However, the quality of the
finished product will vary by the brand of pasta. Cheaper pastas
often include less hard durum wheat, which makes the end result
mushier with a lot less "bite" - a dente, and tends to stick together.

What the myriad of pasta shapes try to do is balance the sauce's
density and intensity of flavors with that of the pasta to make a
dish that "goes together". Bigger, thicker pasta is used for heavier
sauces. More delicate pasta for lighter sauces. The very small shapes
are mostly used for soups.

Pastas with holes (ziti, penne, mostaccioli ) or concavities (shells),
or ridges will hold more of the sauce and not be overwhelmed by
thicker sauces. Angel hair, for example, would be overwhelmed by a
thick meat bolognese) sauce, but matches up well with a lighter ( al
limone) sauce that would get lost against a heavier pasta.

It becomes even more confusing when one company's penne looks more
like another's ziti and another's mostaccioli. All three are
essentially the same - tubular pasta. An angle cut, common with penne
will hold a tad more sauce than a straight cut (mostaccioli) but it's
a darn subtle difference.

Most of the nomenclature and shape subtleties are regional
distinctions (actually regional vanities ;-) ) which have been all
mushed together as Italy and the world becomes more homogeneous. For
example, rigatoni means ridged. Yet I have seen a company sell both
smooth and ridged "rigatonis" which is preposterous.

Frogleg, use the good judgement shown in your comments of oils for
deep frying and you will not go too far wrong. Don't sweat the small
stuff.

For a quickie on pasta shapes check out
http://www.ilovepasta.org/shapes.html although the tone of the site is
much too rigatoni for me. http://www.ilovepasta.org/shapes.html is
another.

> My Asian grocery has a bewildering
>assortment of noodle-like things made from various basic starches,
>some of which require cooking, soaking it hot/cold water, or, for all
>I know, praying over. I could cope if all rice noodle things were the
>'soak' kind, and all soybean ones required boiling, but rice stick,
>rice noodles, wholegrain, soba, buckwheat, semolina, are different
>critters, how do I throw together a pad thai without undue anxiety?

LOL. I share your confusion. If one rather small country like Italy
can make 100s of just wheat pastas, ASIA can and does magnify that 100
fold. Recipes are a help but are often defeated by the fact that the
"English" label translations are often very poorly done.

Pretty much I get by with the following:
If the "noodle-like things" are clear and thin, I try first cold water
soaking, taste and add hot water if it is still undone. Thicker/drier
and thinner/soft noodles - boil and taste/sample CONSTANTLY.

Ain't food fun!