I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
That was my motive to make my own noodles.

I purchased a noodle press and now I'm quite good at making fetuccini.
My question is for noodle makers out there reading this. How does one go
about drying a noodle so that they remain flat, and most importantly,
don't stick to one another? My current method is lying them flat on a
cookie pan and sprinkling flower on top of them so they next layer
doesn`t stick. When I'm done, I put the pan in an old fashion gas pilot
oven. The ongoing heat from the lit pilot is warm enough to dry the
noodles from one day to the next.

I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
in the oven.

"Bier de Stone" > wrote in message
...
> I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
> These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
> all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
> That was my motive to make my own noodles.
>
> I purchased a noodle press and now I'm quite good at making fetuccini.
> My question is for noodle makers out there reading this. How does one go
> about drying a noodle so that they remain flat, and most importantly,
> don't stick to one another? My current method is lying them flat on a
> cookie pan and sprinkling flower on top of them so they next layer
> doesn`t stick. When I'm done, I put the pan in an old fashion gas pilot
> oven. The ongoing heat from the lit pilot is warm enough to dry the
> noodles from one day to the next.
>
> I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
> noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
> experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
> dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
> if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
> I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
> in the oven.
>

Get yourself an old fashioned wooden clothes rack for drying clothes and dry
your noodles over this. That's what I do. Except I have to put mine on a
table so the dogs don't snack on the pasta as it dries.

Anita

il Thu, 13 Jan 2005 17:30:19 GMT, Bier de Stone ha scritto:

> I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
> These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
> all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
> That was my motive to make my own noodles.

Oh y
>
> I purchased a noodle press and now I'm quite good at making fetuccini.
> My question is for noodle makers out there reading this. How does one go
> about drying a noodle so that they remain flat, and most importantly,
> don't stick to one another? My current method is lying them flat on a
> cookie pan and sprinkling flower on top of them so they next layer
> doesn`t stick. When I'm done, I put the pan in an old fashion gas pilot
> oven. The ongoing heat from the lit pilot is warm enough to dry the
> noodles from one day to the next.
>
> I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
> noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
> experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
> dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
> if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
> I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
> in the oven.

In Italy I saw pasta strips (probably fettucini) drying on a counter
top on a tea towel..
They would be eaten that evening I suspect as 'pasta frescha'

My book :-) says: sheets of pasta rest on a floured pastry board, in
a cool place but out of the draft for 25-30minutes. If left too long
it becomes too dry. Then it is reduced to the final shape you want.
either by machine or knife or wheel.. If by hand the whole process is
more involved but floury cloths figure in it and it rests covered
with one too. Then roll up the sheets and cut the tube into strips -
like a swiss roll. Then you pile the strips artistically loosley on
the board and rest another 30 minutes and then you cook them :-)

Ref: The complete book of pasta. / Enrica and Vernon Jarratt ©1965
translated into English 1975.
--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

Loki wrote:

> il Thu, 13 Jan 2005 17:30:19 GMT, Bier de Stone ha scritto:
> > I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
> > These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
> > all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
> > That was my motive to make my own noodles.
>
> > I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
> > noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
> > experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
> > dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
> > if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
> > I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
> > in the oven.
>
> In Italy I saw pasta strips (probably fettucini) drying on a counter
> top on a tea towel..
> They would be eaten that evening I suspect as 'pasta frescha'
>
> My book :-) says: sheets of pasta rest on a floured pastry board, in
> a cool place but out of the draft for 25-30minutes. If left too long
> it becomes too dry. Then it is reduced to the final shape you want.
> either by machine or knife or wheel.. If by hand the whole process is
> more involved but floury cloths figure in it and it rests covered
> with one too. Then roll up the sheets and cut the tube into strips -
> like a swiss roll. Then you pile the strips artistically loosley on
> the board and rest another 30 minutes and then you cook them :-)
> Ref: The complete book of pasta. / Enrica and Vernon Jarratt ©1965
> translated into English 1975.

My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!

Loki wrote:

> il Thu, 13 Jan 2005 17:30:19 GMT, Bier de Stone ha scritto:
> > I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
> > These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
> > all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
> > That was my motive to make my own noodles.
>
> > I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
> > noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
> > experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
> > dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
> > if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
> > I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
> > in the oven.
>
> In Italy I saw pasta strips (probably fettucini) drying on a counter
> top on a tea towel..
> They would be eaten that evening I suspect as 'pasta frescha'
>
> My book :-) says: sheets of pasta rest on a floured pastry board, in
> a cool place but out of the draft for 25-30minutes. If left too long
> it becomes too dry. Then it is reduced to the final shape you want.
> either by machine or knife or wheel.. If by hand the whole process is
> more involved but floury cloths figure in it and it rests covered
> with one too. Then roll up the sheets and cut the tube into strips -
> like a swiss roll. Then you pile the strips artistically loosley on
> the board and rest another 30 minutes and then you cook them :-)
> Ref: The complete book of pasta. / Enrica and Vernon Jarratt ©1965
> translated into English 1975.

My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!

"Anita Amaro" > wrote in message
...

> Get yourself an old fashioned wooden clothes rack for drying clothes and
dry
> your noodles over this. That's what I do. Except I have to put mine on a
> table so the dogs don't snack on the pasta as it dries.

I've done this too. Haven't made any pasta for years though. I don't have
a machine. I used to roll mine out by hand. I've also read stories about
what they used to do in the old days, using the backs of kitchen chairs,
broom handles, and any other place they could find to dry them on.

--
See my webpage:
http://mysite.verizon.net/juliebove/index.htm

"Anita Amaro" > wrote in message
...

> Get yourself an old fashioned wooden clothes rack for drying clothes and
dry
> your noodles over this. That's what I do. Except I have to put mine on a
> table so the dogs don't snack on the pasta as it dries.

I've done this too. Haven't made any pasta for years though. I don't have
a machine. I used to roll mine out by hand. I've also read stories about
what they used to do in the old days, using the backs of kitchen chairs,
broom handles, and any other place they could find to dry them on.

--
See my webpage:
http://mysite.verizon.net/juliebove/index.htm

il Thu, 13 Jan 2005 20:43:45 GMT, The Joneses ha scritto:
> > Then you pile the strips artistically loosely [corrected typo] on
> > the board and rest another 30 minutes and then you cook them :-)
> > Ref: The complete book of pasta. / Enrica and Vernon Jarratt ©1965
> > translated into English 1975.
>
> My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
> Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!

It would wouldn't it. :-) But why use power? The air is free. The
fresh pasta is meant to be not as dry as shop stuff, it cooks
differently too. I hate paying for things I can do for free I must
say.
--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

il Thu, 13 Jan 2005 20:43:45 GMT, The Joneses ha scritto:
> > Then you pile the strips artistically loosely [corrected typo] on
> > the board and rest another 30 minutes and then you cook them :-)
> > Ref: The complete book of pasta. / Enrica and Vernon Jarratt ©1965
> > translated into English 1975.
>
> My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
> Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!

It would wouldn't it. :-) But why use power? The air is free. The
fresh pasta is meant to be not as dry as shop stuff, it cooks
differently too. I hate paying for things I can do for free I must
say.
--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

In article >, Bier de Stone
> wrote:

> I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
> These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
> all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
> That was my motive to make my own noodles.
>
> I purchased a noodle press and now I'm quite good at making fetuccini.
> My question is for noodle makers out there reading this. How does one go
> about drying a noodle so that they remain flat, and most importantly,
> don't stick to one another? My current method is lying them flat on a
> cookie pan and sprinkling flower on top of them so they next layer
> doesn`t stick. When I'm done, I put the pan in an old fashion gas pilot
> oven. The ongoing heat from the lit pilot is warm enough to dry the
> noodles from one day to the next.
>
> I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
> noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
> experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
> dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
> if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
> I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
> in the oven.

I don't make the fettucine width, but make the narrower size (for soup)
and cut them about 2 inches long. I use this recipe for making my
dough: 1 cup flour, some salt, 1 egg, about 1 tablespoon water. I make
it in the food processor (that's the important part). Doing it in the
fp lets me make a far stiffer dough than I could manage by hand or with
any other mixer. It is NOT in a ball in the bowl when I remove it from
the workbowl, but it sticks together in a ball when I press it that way.
I knead it a couple times on a board before letting it rest for at least
an hour before rolling (pasta machine) and cutting.

When I've cut the noodles, I put them on a towel-covered wire
cake/cookie-cooling rack and set them atop my heat vents (the
temperature in Minneapolis is -12 deg F right now and the furnace is on
:-) to dry. They dry easily overnight. Sometimes faster than
overnight. The stiffness of the dough is the secret -- as little
moisture as possible while still keeping the dough together.
HTH.

Note: Thirty years ago when my sister and made noodles, we didn't have
a food processor to make the dough. We mixed the dough by hand and hung
those skinny little soup noodles on a wood clothes drying rack sitting
on a bedsheet. I've got pictures. :-) I like my current method far
and away.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Trip Report and pics added 1-13-05
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and say,
'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner, performance
at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

In article >, Bier de Stone
> wrote:

> I had an experience buying bucatini some time ago at the supermarket.
> These are hollow noodles and when I put them in a pot to boil, I found
> all the little eggs and baby weevil like insects floated at the top.
> That was my motive to make my own noodles.
>
> I purchased a noodle press and now I'm quite good at making fetuccini.
> My question is for noodle makers out there reading this. How does one go
> about drying a noodle so that they remain flat, and most importantly,
> don't stick to one another? My current method is lying them flat on a
> cookie pan and sprinkling flower on top of them so they next layer
> doesn`t stick. When I'm done, I put the pan in an old fashion gas pilot
> oven. The ongoing heat from the lit pilot is warm enough to dry the
> noodles from one day to the next.
>
> I've considered hanging them up to dry separately, allowing a single
> noodle its place on the line but haven't gotten to that point of
> experimentation yet. I'm using the 4 cup recipe and usually divide the
> dough in half for the noodles I dry per pan using the oven. I discovered
> if I try to do the whole mass of dough, sticking is unavoidable. Tell me
> I'm not doing this wrong because I need to dry a single layer at a time
> in the oven.

I don't make the fettucine width, but make the narrower size (for soup)
and cut them about 2 inches long. I use this recipe for making my
dough: 1 cup flour, some salt, 1 egg, about 1 tablespoon water. I make
it in the food processor (that's the important part). Doing it in the
fp lets me make a far stiffer dough than I could manage by hand or with
any other mixer. It is NOT in a ball in the bowl when I remove it from
the workbowl, but it sticks together in a ball when I press it that way.
I knead it a couple times on a board before letting it rest for at least
an hour before rolling (pasta machine) and cutting.

When I've cut the noodles, I put them on a towel-covered wire
cake/cookie-cooling rack and set them atop my heat vents (the
temperature in Minneapolis is -12 deg F right now and the furnace is on
:-) to dry. They dry easily overnight. Sometimes faster than
overnight. The stiffness of the dough is the secret -- as little
moisture as possible while still keeping the dough together.
HTH.

Note: Thirty years ago when my sister and made noodles, we didn't have
a food processor to make the dough. We mixed the dough by hand and hung
those skinny little soup noodles on a wood clothes drying rack sitting
on a bedsheet. I've got pictures. :-) I like my current method far
and away.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Trip Report and pics added 1-13-05
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and say,
'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner, performance
at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

In article >, "Loki"
> wrote:

> il Thu, 13 Jan 2005 20:43:45 GMT, The Joneses ha scritto:
> > > Then you pile the strips artistically loosely [corrected typo] on
> > > the board and rest another 30 minutes and then you cook them :-)
> > > Ref: The complete book of pasta. / Enrica and Vernon Jarratt ©1965
> > > translated into English 1975.
> >
> > My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
> > Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!
>
> It would wouldn't it. :-) But why use power? The air is free. The
> fresh pasta is meant to be not as dry as shop stuff, it cooks
> differently too. I hate paying for things I can do for free I must
> say.

But if you're going to store it, Loki, it had better be mighty dry, lest
it mold or get otherwise yucky.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Trip Report and pics added 1-13-05
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and say,
'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner, performance
at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

il Fri, 14 Jan 2005 11:11:12 -0600, Melba's Jammin' ha scritto:

> > > My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
> > > Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!
> >
> > It would wouldn't it. :-) But why use power? The air is free. The
> > fresh pasta is meant to be not as dry as shop stuff, it cooks
> > differently too. I hate paying for things I can do for free I must
> > say.
>
> But if you're going to store it, Loki, it had better be mighty dry, lest
> it mold or get otherwise yucky.

That's true, I've just never thought any one would want to make their
own dried pasta. I can imagine some of my italian friends being
horrified ;-) Food is a national passion for them.
--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

In article >, "Loki"
> wrote:

> il Fri, 14 Jan 2005 11:11:12 -0600, Melba's Jammin' ha scritto:
>
> > > > My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
> > > > Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!

> > But if you're going to store it, Loki, it had better be mighty dry,
> > lest it mold or get otherwise yucky.
>

> That's true, I've just never thought any one would want to make their
> own dried pasta. I can imagine some of my italian friends being
> horrified ;-) Food is a national passion for them.

If you count homemade egg noodles as pasta (same recipe, I believe) I've
made about 20 batches since early December. I use the narrowest cutter
and cut them about 2 inches long, ideally. I will attempt to ration
these to last the year -- or make some more soon. I have more than a
gallon of them, dried. Yum. Chicken soup.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Trip Report and pics added 1-13-05
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

Loki wrote:

> That's true, I've just never thought any one would want to make their
> own dried pasta.

My brother used to have Sunday as pasta night--it not only was "fun" for
the kids (at the time 6 and 10), it was to teach them planning,
organization, some motor skills, and math/reading comprehension.

> I can imagine some of my italian friends being
> horrified ;-) Food is a national passion for them.

I have a friend who is a professor at Milan University--and travels
around and about on lecture tours/conferences. He can't stand
Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile). I always thought
there was an element of snottery about it, but his last trip he brought
me several species of pasta (plus a bottle of grappa) and I have to
say--it was the first pasta I've ever had. Amazing stuff. Onward to
North Beach (The Italian nabe here in SF) from now on.

B/

Loki wrote:

> That's true, I've just never thought any one would want to make their
> own dried pasta.

My brother used to have Sunday as pasta night--it not only was "fun" for
the kids (at the time 6 and 10), it was to teach them planning,
organization, some motor skills, and math/reading comprehension.

> I can imagine some of my italian friends being
> horrified ;-) Food is a national passion for them.

I have a friend who is a professor at Milan University--and travels
around and about on lecture tours/conferences. He can't stand
Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile). I always thought
there was an element of snottery about it, but his last trip he brought
me several species of pasta (plus a bottle of grappa) and I have to
say--it was the first pasta I've ever had. Amazing stuff. Onward to
North Beach (The Italian nabe here in SF) from now on.

B/

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >, "Loki"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>il Fri, 14 Jan 2005 11:11:12 -0600, Melba's Jammin' ha scritto:
>>
>>
>>>>>My new Excalibur dehydrator recommends itself for drying pasta.
>>>>>Edrena, who likes the rotini shapes especially!
>
>
>>>But if you're going to store it, Loki, it had better be mighty dry,
>>>lest it mold or get otherwise yucky.
>>
>
>>That's true, I've just never thought any one would want to make their
>>own dried pasta. I can imagine some of my italian friends being
>>horrified ;-) Food is a national passion for them.
>
>
> If you count homemade egg noodles as pasta (same recipe, I believe) I've
> made about 20 batches since early December. I use the narrowest cutter
> and cut them about 2 inches long, ideally. I will attempt to ration
> these to last the year -- or make some more soon. I have more than a
> gallon of them, dried. Yum. Chicken soup.

I made a sort of pasta this afternoon. Cooked up a pot of chicken then
made home made southern dumplings, the rolled out flat and cut in strips
kind. Dropped them in the boiling broth along with spices and herbs. Ate
the chicken and dumplings with mashed taters, blackeyed peas, nice green
salad out of our garden and crumbled some bacon on top of the salad.

George

In article >,
wrote:
(snip)He can't stand
> Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
> says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile). I always thought
> there was an element of snottery about it, but his last trip he brought
> me several species of pasta (plus a bottle of grappa) and I have to
> say--it was the first pasta I've ever had. Amazing stuff. Onward to
> North Beach (The Italian nabe here in SF) from now on.
>
> B/

Dried? What brands? First pasta or best pasta, Brian? I'm suspecting
a typo.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Trip Report and pics added 1-13-05
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article >,
> wrote:
> (snip)He can't stand
>> Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>> says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile). I always thought
>> there was an element of snottery about it, but his last trip he brought
>> me several species of pasta (plus a bottle of grappa) and I have to
>> say--it was the first pasta I've ever had. Amazing stuff. Onward to
>> North Beach (The Italian nabe here in SF) from now on.

> Dried?

Yes.

> What brands?

A variety. Moro, Terre d'Italia... seems to be anything made in Italy
itself.

> First pasta or best pasta, Brian? I'm suspecting a typo.

Nope, first. Anything I've had before wasn't pasta as compared I'm
saying.

B/

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article >,
> wrote:
> (snip)He can't stand
>> Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>> says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile). I always thought
>> there was an element of snottery about it, but his last trip he brought
>> me several species of pasta (plus a bottle of grappa) and I have to
>> say--it was the first pasta I've ever had. Amazing stuff. Onward to
>> North Beach (The Italian nabe here in SF) from now on.

> Dried?

Yes.

> What brands?

A variety. Moro, Terre d'Italia... seems to be anything made in Italy
itself.

> First pasta or best pasta, Brian? I'm suspecting a typo.

Nope, first. Anything I've had before wasn't pasta as compared I'm
saying.

B/

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
He can't stand
> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).

DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile? There are loads of
them I like better, but DeCecco is good.
I think Buitoni is also available in the US.

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
He can't stand
> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).

DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile? There are loads of
them I like better, but DeCecco is good.
I think Buitoni is also available in the US.

"Judith Umbria" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
> He can't stand
>> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).

Say Hey !!

Pasta is pasta, wheat !! It's the sauce that makes the pasta !!


>
> DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile? There are loads of
> them I like better, but DeCecco is good.
> I think Buitoni is also available in the US.
>
>

pickle wrote:

> "Judith Umbria" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
>>He can't stand
>>
>>>>Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>>>>says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>
> Say Hey !!
>
> Pasta is pasta, wheat !! It's the sauce that makes the pasta !!

Say Hey !!

See how little you know what you're talking about !! Like there's only
one kind of wheat, right...?

It would be wonderful for your not looking like a sap if you read a
good bit about the different kinds of wheat, which are used for what
and why. Then you can come back and not say stupid stuff like this and
get into a pickle. See how that works...?

Good. Shouldn't take you too long...

Pastorio

>>DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile? There are loads of
>>them I like better, but DeCecco is good.
>>I think Buitoni is also available in the US.

il Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:59:33 +0700, "pickle" ha scritto:

>
> "Judith Umbria" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > He can't stand
> >> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
> >> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>
> Say Hey !!
>
> Pasta is pasta, wheat !! It's the sauce that makes the pasta !!

tsk tsk tsk, and I bet you like it 'cotto' too ;-)

--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

Judith Umbria wrote:

> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
> He can't stand
>> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>
> DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile?

"...approaches a reasonable facsimile..." Dunno, I don't have a box
handy. Maybe it's licensed by the parent company but milled/made here
in the US?

B/

Judith Umbria wrote:

> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
> He can't stand
>> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>
> DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile?

"...approaches a reasonable facsimile..." Dunno, I don't have a box
handy. Maybe it's licensed by the parent company but milled/made here
in the US?

B/

pickle wrote:

> "Judith Umbria" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> He can't stand
>>> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>>> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>
> Say Hey !!
>
> Pasta is pasta, wheat !!

There are, as Pastorio points out, different kinds of wheat.

> It's the sauce that makes the pasta !!

Only because the pasta here is lousy, and as compared to what my friend
brought quite literally paste. Soggy paste at that.

I understand in Italy, the amount of sauce is quite small compared to
what we use, and the sauces more richly-flavored and intense.

B/

pickle wrote:

> "Judith Umbria" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> He can't stand
>>> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>>> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>
> Say Hey !!
>
> Pasta is pasta, wheat !!

There are, as Pastorio points out, different kinds of wheat.

> It's the sauce that makes the pasta !!

Only because the pasta here is lousy, and as compared to what my friend
brought quite literally paste. Soggy paste at that.

I understand in Italy, the amount of sauce is quite small compared to
what we use, and the sauces more richly-flavored and intense.

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> Judith Umbria wrote:
> > He can't stand
> >> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
> >> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
> >
> > DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile?
>
> "...approaches a reasonable facsimile..." Dunno, I don't have a box
> handy. Maybe it's licensed by the parent company but milled/made here
> in the US?
>
> B/

Nope, it is imported. It sounds like out and out prejudice to me. Most
Italian pasta if hard wheat pasta is actually made from US and Russian
wheat. Soft wheat pasta-- with eggs, like tagliatelle, uses more Italian
wheat. Italy cannot grow enough wheat for all the uses here.
The best ever wheat was made extinct when the Ukrainian peasants had to eat
their seed stock to stay alive around the time of the revolution. Recently,
however, someone has developed a replacement that is very close. I love
that pasta. It is made in only one place so far.
If you ever wake up in Rome, there is a Pasta Museum you should see. It
isn't very far from the Fontana Trevi. They also sell a very good book on
pasta which is available in English.
Most Italian sauces other than in the far south, are not very thick and
sticky. The difference is the slightly undercooked pasta is thrown into the
sauce pan and cooked a bit more. I think about 75% of the sauces here are
made up quickly in less than 30 minutes. It is, after all, only the first
course.
If you can't taste the pasta, the dish is wrong.

We have Barilla brand in the supermarkets here in the Boston area. When my
Italian friend visited us last year, he was quite happy to find it and said
that it is the most common brand in Italy. I used to just buy store-brand
pasta, but I was surprised to find a significant taste difference. We now
buy Barilla.

Dave

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>> In article >, wrote:
>> (snip)He can't stand
>>> Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>>> says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile). I always thought
>>> there was an element of snottery about it, but his last trip he brought
>>> me several species of pasta (plus a bottle of grappa) and I have to
>>> say--it was the first pasta I've ever had. Amazing stuff. Onward to
>>> North Beach (The Italian nabe here in SF) from now on.
>
>> Dried?
>
> Yes.
>
>> What brands?
>
> A variety. Moro, Terre d'Italia... seems to be anything made in Italy
> itself.
>
> > First pasta or best pasta, Brian? I'm suspecting a typo.
>
> Nope, first. Anything I've had before wasn't pasta as compared I'm
> saying.
>
> B/

Judith Umbria wrote:

> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Judith Umbria wrote:
>> > He can't stand
>> >> > Italian-American food and he can't stand American pasta (although he
>> >> > says De Cecco approaches a reasonable facsimile).
>> >
>> > DeCecco IS Italian pasta. How can it be a facsimile?
>>
>> "...approaches a reasonable facsimile..." Dunno, I don't have a box
>> handy. Maybe it's licensed by the parent company but milled/made here
>> in the US?

> Nope, it is imported. It sounds like out and out prejudice to me.

Could be... or one of those "momismo" (sp?) things--anything he mother
doesn't prepare...
(snip)
> If you ever wake up in Rome, there is a Pasta Museum you should see. It
> isn't very far from the Fontana Trevi. They also sell a very good book on
> pasta which is available in English.

I've heard of it!

> The difference is the slightly undercooked pasta is thrown into the
> sauce pan and cooked a bit more.

Yeah, I've been watching Lidia Bastianich do that, and it seems Michael
Chiarello (Cooking in the Wine Country, owner of Tre Vigne) picking it
up, to add some of the water the pasta has cooked in to the sauce and
cook the pasta for another 30-40 seconds or so.

> ...If you can't taste the pasta, the dish is wrong.

Yar, I found that out. Not just taste but feel...

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> Could be... or one of those "momismo" (sp?) things--anything he mother
> doesn't prepare...

He is a mammone?
There are a bunch of those here.

> Yeah, I've been watching Lidia Bastianich do that, and it seems Michael
> Chiarello (Cooking in the Wine Country, owner of Tre Vigne) picking it
> up, to add some of the water the pasta has cooked in to the sauce and
> cook the pasta for another 30-40 seconds or so.

Just like every Italian housewife, but she usually says a minute. There are
(rare) exceptions. When folks from Canada and the US come here, they are
very surprised at the difference in pasta courses from home. Almost all
finally love it. If you haven't eaten in a home, however, you never really
see the vast and complex world of sauces. Restaurants tend to make what can
be done partly ahead and what will sell. For that reason, I recommend
trying daily specials that are not on the menu.