Blog - L'amore Italian Restaurant

May 3, 2019 by Kim Abbott

How Many Different Pasta Shapes are There?

We all know about spaghetti, penne, rigatoni and other pasta shapes, but did you know there are over 350 different pasta shapes?

That’s right. You can choose from hundreds of different types of pasta for your next authentic Italian meal – whether dining in or out. Read on to learn more about the fascinating world of pasta.

Pasta Groups

Overall, pasta is classified into different groups. For example there is the long pasta group, the tube pasta group, the soup pasta group, the stuffed pasta group, and the special shapes pasta group. Each group has a number of different kinds of pasta attributed to it.

Spaghetti and angel hair fit into the long group, while penne is considered a tube pasta, orzo and alphabet are soup pastas, ravioli and tortellini are stuffed pasta, and fusilli and farfalle are considered special shape pasta. Not only are there many different shapes, but many types of pasta have more than one name. For example, farfalle is also called bowtie or butterfly pasta.

Pasta Shapes

So why are there so many different pasta shapes?

The answer is simple. Texture and sauce.

The way pasta holds a sauce is paramount to Italian cooking. In general, chefs use different pasta shapes and sizes depending upon what kind of sauce they want to cook. For example, if a chef makes a superior thin sauce, he’ll want to pair it with thin pasta like angel hair.

On the other hand, if he prepares a thick sauce, he will serve it with a thick pasta, such as rigatoni whose grooves will hold the thick sauce for optimum flavor. A cream sauce goes best with flat pasta, such as linguine while a traditional tomato sauce goes best with round shaped pasta like shells.

When it comes to stuffed pasta, ravioli, manicotti, and large shells are just some options. For soups, pastine, which means little pasta, is another great choice.

Why not make an effort to try a pasta shape you’ve never had before? Either choose something new from the menu at your favorite Italian restaurant or try your hand at cooking with a pasta shape you’ve never used.

There are multiple recipe books on the market that focus strictly on pasta shapes, how to cook them, and what sauces to pair with them. By experimenting with different pasta shapes, you’ll open a whole new world of Italian cuisine that you never even knew existed.

April 16, 2019 by Kim Abbott

Tips for Traveling on a Budget in Italy

Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world, and for good reason. Italy has everything to offer; ancient monuments, amazing coastlines, and delicious food.

If you’re planning a trip to Italy but are doing it on a budget, here are some tips you can follow to get the most out of your trip to Italy while staying within your budget.

You’ll Need a Kitchen

To save money on food, rent a hotel room or Airbnb that comes with a kitchen. Not only will this help you save money by avoiding eating out for every meal, you’ll also get to go food shopping – in Italy!

Visit the local markets in the community where you’re staying and buy fresh ingredients for breakfast, a packed lunch, and then splurge on dinner, if you want. When you have a kitchen where you can make your own food, your will see your budget slashed in half for this travel necessity. You gotta eat, right!

Carefully Plan Your Itinerary

Before you venture to Italy, make a detailed itinerary of the sights you want to see and the cost associated with each one. With so much to see in Italy, this can be challenging. However, when you pick just a few sites that really peak your interest, you will find yourself not overwhelmed at all. For example, you may want to focus on just one region, like Rome or Venice.

If you’re a huge history buff, carefully choose the ancient sites you want to see. If getting closer inside the culture is your thing, explore the local markets and alleyways near your hotel.

Hire a Cheap Guide

Don’t speak Italian? Never been to Italy before and want to make the most out of your trip? If so, you can always hire a guide to help you explore the countries different regions. Locals know all the ins and outs of touring their own country and will also know the fastest and most efficient ways to get you where want to be. Also, having an Italian speaking guide will save you plenty of time and frustration when it comes to communicating with the locals.

Travel Off-Season

Another way to see Italy on a budget is to travel during the off-season. Not only will this save you money on airfare and costs associated in country, but you’ll also get to skip the large crowds. The peak season is during the summer, when prices are the highest. To save money, consider traveling anytime from November through March.

March 7, 2019 by Kim Abbott

5 Tools You Will Find in an Italian Kitchen

An Italian kitchen is a special place. It’s filled with aromas of delicious Italian food cooking on the stovetop or in the oven, along with colorful ingredients, like green basil and red tomatoes.

However, no Italian kitchen is complete without the essential Italian cooking tools listed below. If you want to turn your kitchen into a place where authentic Italian food is made, consider getting these kitchen tools for yourself.

1. Wooden Spoons

Ah, the wooden spoon. No Italian kitchen is complete without a few of these in all shapes and sizes, with and without holes. Wooden spoons are perfect for stirring pasta sauce, cakes mixes, and pastry cream. The ones with holes are essential when making dishes such as risotto because the holes allow for the rice to freely flow through the spoon.

2. Rolling Pin

Whether you plan to make your own pasta, pizza crust, or cookies, a rolling pin is an essential Italian kitchen tool. There are two styles of pins – rods and rollers. The latter is a thick cylinder with small handles while the former is thinner with tapered batons.

3. Pasta Machine

Looking to become an overnight Italian chef? Then you’ll need to learn how to make your own pasta. It’s easy when you have a pasta machine. With a pasta machine, you can make any kind of pasta, such as linguine, Fettuccine, spaghetti, lasagna noodles, and more. You set the desired thickness or thinness of the pasta you want to make and simply crank the dough out through the rollers. Most pasta machines also include accessories that allow you to make nearly any kind of pasta shape you want.

4. Colander

Also called a strainer, a colander is one of the most important tools for an Italian kitchen. You need to drain your cooked pasta right away so choose a colander that allows for a fast and effective drainage option that also doesn’t allow any food to escape. Since the sink is typically the most dirty place in the kitchen, make sure the sink is completely clean before draining the pasta and avoid having the colander tip over with food spilling out into the sink. Yuck!

5. Wine Opener

An Italian meal must have wine to go with it. Red or white, depending on what dish you’re serving. For this reason, it’s important to have at least one wine bottle opener in your Italian kitchen, though having more is better in case you misplace one.

February 5, 2019 by Kim Abbott

5 Best Italian Vegetarian Dishes

If you’re a vegetarian or are simply looking for veggie recipes to cut back on meat, Italian food is the way to go. There are so many vegetarian Italian dishes to choose from that are delicious, healthy, and filling.

We’ve outlined our five favorites here for you to enjoy at home or during a night out for dinner.

1. Four Cheese Pasta

Love cheese? Then you’ll love this Italian recipe filled with parmesan, brie, cheddar, and emmental cheese. It’s like macaroni and cheese but only better and certainly does not come out of a box! It’s healthy and filling and is best served with a green salad and Italian bread.

2. Grilled Veggie Lasagna

Lasagna is one of the most famous Italian dishes. Typically, this dish comes with meat, but there are many vegetarian options you can use to make this a healthy, filling meal for the entire family. In between layers of lasagna noodles, you can add peppers, broccoli, squash or any other vegetables you love.

Like any other lasagna recipe, add lots of yummy cheese (ricotta and mozzarella) along with your favorite pasta sauce, homemade or not. This tasty treat is perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve with Italian garlic bread on the side to scoop up the pasta sauce and other ingredients.

3. Caprese Salad with Pesto Sauce

This recipe is a version of antipasti filled with fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and pesto sauce. It makes for a perfect appetizer or a lunch dish. Did you know that the colors in this recipe actually represent the Italian flag? That’s right! Green, red, and white. Purely Italian.

4. Eggplant Parmesan

Skip the veal and chicken and grab some fresh eggplant for this filling vegetarian Italian dish. Layer this casserole with lots of tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and eggplant. Serve with a salad for extra vitamins and nutrients, along with garlic bread to scoop up the meal. Then sit back, relax, and digest this healthy meal.

5. Panzanella

This popular summer dish comes from the Tuscan area of Italy but is popular throughout the country. It’s a chopped salad consisting of tomatoes and bread. The bread is stale but soaked and goes perfect with freshly picked tomatoes. Add some onions and basil, along with a vinegar and olive oil dressing. Create a small panzanella as an appetizer or side dish to go along with another incredible vegetarian Italian dish listed here.

How Many Different Pasta Shapes are There?

Tips for Traveling on a Budget in Italy

5 Tools You Will Find in an Italian Kitchen

5 Best Italian Vegetarian Dishes

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