L'amore Italian Restaurant

Making Pasta

by

Where Does The Best Italian Pasta Come From?

There are a lot of people who are looking for the best pasta in the world, and many people have fallen in love with the pasta that comes from Italy. Italy is a region of the world that is known for its food, with pasta being at the top of the list. Even within this pasta haven, different parts of Italy are known for different types of pasta. Therefore, travelers need to be familiar with regional differences in pasta, so they can find the best meals for them.

Campania Is Known For Penne Pasta

When people think about pasta, they usually envision penne. This is a classic pasta shape and is commonly produced in Campania. This part of Italy is home to the Amalfi Coast, Mount Vesuvius (near Pompeii), and Naples itself. Located in southern Italy, Campania is known for penne pasta that comes out perfectly shaped every time. Penne means “pen” in Italian, which is an accurate description of the delicious pasta that comes from this part of Italy.

Sicily Is Known For Its Ziti

Sicily is located at the boot of Italy and is known for its gorgeous architecture, Greek ruins, and the largest opera house in Italy. Of course, Sicily is also known for its delicious pasta. Ziti is penne pasta that comes from Sicily, and they make their pasta slightly differently. Travelers might notice that ziti pasta has ridges, while penne pasta does not. The ridges in ziti make this type of pasta perfect for grabbing the delicious sauces in Italian pasta. Consider using ziti to create dishes that are filled with a delicious sauce.

Abruzzo Is Known For Spaghetti Alla Chitarra

Another popular tourist destination in Italy is Abruzzo. This is a mountainous part of Italy that is located in the center of the country. This area is known for its striking red garlic and its delicious saffron. The pasta from this region is spaghetti that has a square shape instead of a cylindrical shape. Chitarra means guitar and is used to describe this type of pasta because the dough is passed through fine strings resembling those of a guitar. This is pasta that is commonly served with cream and oil sauces.

Find The Best Pasta In Italy

Of course, there is no single “best” pasta in Italy. Instead, everyone has to find the best pasta for their preferences.

by

The Top Tips for Making Perfect Italian Pasta

If you want to truly eat Italian pasta, and you have to be able to make it from scratch. Some people might be shocked at the idea of making their own pasta instead of simply buying it at the store. At the same time, there is something special about homemade pasta. Take a look at some of the top tips for making homemade pasta below. 

Consider The Sauce

First, you have to consider the sauce that is going to go with the pasta. There are different shapes of pasta and the shapes are important because they are meant to grab the sauce. For example, shorter pasta, such as penne and cavatelli are going to be better at grabbing onto the sauce than longer types of pasta. Furthermore, pasta that has ridges, such as rigatoni, is going to grab sauce better than pasta that is smooth. Therefore, you should consider this when you are thinking about what type of pasta you want to make. 

Start With Less Flour

Remember that it is easier to add more ingredients than to take it out. With this in mind, always start with less flour. Good pasta is usually going to be somewhere around 50 percent water by weight. It is better to start by making the dough a bit wetter because it is always easier to add more flour than it is to add more water. At the same time, you don’t want the final pasta to be caked in flour. Therefore, be sparing with a flower and add more if needed. 

Knead The Dough Thoroughly

Finally, the longer you knead the pasta dough, the easier it is going to be to roll out later. Therefore, try to knead it for at least 10 minutes at the start. Once the surface is no longer sticky, it will be good to go. This will help you create pasta that is uniform in color and smooth with those perfect dimples on the surface. 

Make Italian Pasta From Scratch

Once you are done with this process, let the dough rest. Try to rest it for at least a half-hour before shaping it. Following these tips will help you create the perfect Italian pasta. Don’t hesitate to try to make several different shapes! Some shapes of pasta are better are certain types of sauces than others.