Ingredients:
1 tbs Sugar
1 pack Yeast
1 tbs Oil
1 tsp Salt (or garlic salt)
1/2 cup Flour
1 cup Luke warm water
Method:
Mix water yeast and sugar in a bowl and let stand for 1-2 min.
Add remaining ingredients and knead the dough for 5-10 min.
Pizza stone works best for maintaining a crispy bottom crust.
If not, try greasing your pan and then dust it with corn meal.
Bake the crust by itself (no toppings) for about 10 min.
Then top and finish baking.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
3 cups rotini pasta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cups broccoli, cut into small flowerets
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
Method:
Cook the pasta and drain.
Combine the pasta with all the remaining ingredients.
Mix together.
Chill.
3 cups rotini pasta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cups broccoli, cut into small flowerets
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
Method:
Cook the pasta and drain.
Combine the pasta with all the remaining ingredients.
Mix together.
Chill.
How to Cook Pasta
I was raised on pasta. I have seen my mother and father cook pasta a million times since I was born. All Italians (should) know how to cook pasta. But this is not true for everyone.
Do you cook pasta in unsalted water and add salt later? Do you add oil to the boiling water? Do you drain the pasta and have it sitting there for the guests to pick it up and dress it by themselves? Do you throw the pasta to the wall to see if it’s ready ? (This last one was a question seriously asked me by an American friend). Stop the insanity!
How to cook Long Pasta (spaghetti, linguine, etc.)
1. Pasta must always be cooked in abundant salted water. The proportion should be 1 1/2 quart (approximately 1 1/2 liters) of water for 3 – 4 oz (100 gr) of dry pasta.
Use a large, tall stockpot. Bring to a boil the water necessary to cook the desired amount of pasta. Add the salt only after the water begins boiling. Salty water boils at a higher temperature, therefore taking a longer time. Add to the water about 1 teaspoon of salt per quart. The amount may vary depending on personal taste. If you don’t add salt to the water the pasta will taste very insipid and there will be a lot of contrast with the sauce that is salted. No Italian forgets to salt the pasta water!
2. Keep the pasta vertically over the boiling water and drop the pasta into the pot.
3. In few seconds the pasta will start softening. Using a long fork start pushing the pasta in the water until is fully submerged.
At this point the temperature of the water has fallen and it is not boiling anymore.
4. Place the lid on the pot and turn heat to high to bring the water back to a fast boil.
IMPORTANT!
When the water comes to a fast boil again and the pot is covered, the steam will push the lid up and the water will splash out of the pot! You have to be there and remove the lid to continue cooking the pasta uncovered. It is dangerous to leave the pot unattended. The splashing water can easily extinguish the flame and the gas would freely come out of the burner.
5. Continue cooking the pasta uncovered. Mix with a long fork in order to keep the pasta pieces separate from each other. Adjust the flame to keep the water boiling but preventing it from splashing out of the pot.
6. Read the manufacturer’s instructions printed on the envelope for cooking time, but don’t trust them. The best thing to do is taste a little piece from time to time to test for readiness. Bite a little piece and you can tell if the core of the pasta is still whitish the pasta is not ready yet.
Testing will give you an idea of the time left to a perfect al dente pasta.
The expression al dente in Italian refers to the correct cooking point of pasta. Literally it means, “when it is right for the tooth,” that is, soft but firm, and never overcooked.
Before draining reserve some of the cooking water if the recipe requires it. If you are using a “dry” type of dressing you may want to add some of the water back into the mixing bowl.
7. Place the colander in the sink in a secure position. When the pasta is ready, turn the heat off. Grab the pot firmly: Don’t forget that most of the accidents in the house happen in the kitchen. Make sure nobody is in your way to the sink: Watch for the kids!
8. Add a little cold tap water to the pot to stop the cooking process: About 1/2 glass is enough. In fact, pasta keeps cooking even after you drain it. Also, this way the pasta will not be extremely hot when served. Make sure the recipe allows cooling the pasta. Some recipes require for the pasta to be very hot. You are not “washing” the pasta here! Don’t overdue it!
9. Carefully drain the pasta.
10. Shake the colander to drain the pasta thoroughly, unless the recipe indicates otherwise.
11. Pour the pasta into a bowl of adequate size. Add the dressing or sauce, toss it well, add cheese if indicated by the recipe, and serve immediately.
How to cook Short Pasta (rigatoni, penne, etc.)
The procedure for short pasta is very similar to the one described above for long pasta. Cooking short pasta is generally easier, but takes few minutes longer because short pasta is normally ticker.
A. Follow step 1. Above, but use a large saucepan of adequate size.
When the salted water comes to a boil, drop the pasta in the saucepan.
B. The pasta will drop to the bottom of the pan. Stir thoroughly to keep the pieces separate. Cover the pan to bring the water back to a boil. Follow the indication and recommendations of step 4. and 5. above.
C. When the water comes back to a fast boil, adjust the level of the heat and stir often to keep the pasta pieces separate.
D. Test for readiness... Read step 6. above.
E. When the pasta is al dente drain it as indicated in the steps 7, 8, 9, and 10 above.
F. Pour the pasta into a bowl of adequate size. Add the dressing or sauce, toss it well, add cheese if indicated by the recipe, and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Do you add oil to the water when is boiling?
Answer: NO! You don't need to add oil at all when cooking the pasta. It accomplishes nothing.
FAQ: Do you add oil to the pasta after drained?
Answer: NO! After the pasta is drained you will add the sauce to the pasta, so there is no point in adding oil. Some people leave the pasta undressed and the sauce in a separate bowl. In that case they add oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking. That is WRONG! The pasta needs to be dressed with the sauce after drained and is served at once. The oil doesn't add flavor, adds just oil taste. If you have a condiment based on oil then you don't need to add anything. If the condiment is based on something else, adding oil will only add an intrusive taste.
Do you cook pasta in unsalted water and add salt later? Do you add oil to the boiling water? Do you drain the pasta and have it sitting there for the guests to pick it up and dress it by themselves? Do you throw the pasta to the wall to see if it’s ready ? (This last one was a question seriously asked me by an American friend). Stop the insanity!
How to cook Long Pasta (spaghetti, linguine, etc.)
1. Pasta must always be cooked in abundant salted water. The proportion should be 1 1/2 quart (approximately 1 1/2 liters) of water for 3 – 4 oz (100 gr) of dry pasta.
Use a large, tall stockpot. Bring to a boil the water necessary to cook the desired amount of pasta. Add the salt only after the water begins boiling. Salty water boils at a higher temperature, therefore taking a longer time. Add to the water about 1 teaspoon of salt per quart. The amount may vary depending on personal taste. If you don’t add salt to the water the pasta will taste very insipid and there will be a lot of contrast with the sauce that is salted. No Italian forgets to salt the pasta water!
2. Keep the pasta vertically over the boiling water and drop the pasta into the pot.
3. In few seconds the pasta will start softening. Using a long fork start pushing the pasta in the water until is fully submerged.
At this point the temperature of the water has fallen and it is not boiling anymore.
4. Place the lid on the pot and turn heat to high to bring the water back to a fast boil.
IMPORTANT!
When the water comes to a fast boil again and the pot is covered, the steam will push the lid up and the water will splash out of the pot! You have to be there and remove the lid to continue cooking the pasta uncovered. It is dangerous to leave the pot unattended. The splashing water can easily extinguish the flame and the gas would freely come out of the burner.
5. Continue cooking the pasta uncovered. Mix with a long fork in order to keep the pasta pieces separate from each other. Adjust the flame to keep the water boiling but preventing it from splashing out of the pot.
6. Read the manufacturer’s instructions printed on the envelope for cooking time, but don’t trust them. The best thing to do is taste a little piece from time to time to test for readiness. Bite a little piece and you can tell if the core of the pasta is still whitish the pasta is not ready yet.
Testing will give you an idea of the time left to a perfect al dente pasta.
The expression al dente in Italian refers to the correct cooking point of pasta. Literally it means, “when it is right for the tooth,” that is, soft but firm, and never overcooked.
Before draining reserve some of the cooking water if the recipe requires it. If you are using a “dry” type of dressing you may want to add some of the water back into the mixing bowl.
7. Place the colander in the sink in a secure position. When the pasta is ready, turn the heat off. Grab the pot firmly: Don’t forget that most of the accidents in the house happen in the kitchen. Make sure nobody is in your way to the sink: Watch for the kids!
8. Add a little cold tap water to the pot to stop the cooking process: About 1/2 glass is enough. In fact, pasta keeps cooking even after you drain it. Also, this way the pasta will not be extremely hot when served. Make sure the recipe allows cooling the pasta. Some recipes require for the pasta to be very hot. You are not “washing” the pasta here! Don’t overdue it!
9. Carefully drain the pasta.
10. Shake the colander to drain the pasta thoroughly, unless the recipe indicates otherwise.
11. Pour the pasta into a bowl of adequate size. Add the dressing or sauce, toss it well, add cheese if indicated by the recipe, and serve immediately.
How to cook Short Pasta (rigatoni, penne, etc.)
The procedure for short pasta is very similar to the one described above for long pasta. Cooking short pasta is generally easier, but takes few minutes longer because short pasta is normally ticker.
A. Follow step 1. Above, but use a large saucepan of adequate size.
When the salted water comes to a boil, drop the pasta in the saucepan.
B. The pasta will drop to the bottom of the pan. Stir thoroughly to keep the pieces separate. Cover the pan to bring the water back to a boil. Follow the indication and recommendations of step 4. and 5. above.
C. When the water comes back to a fast boil, adjust the level of the heat and stir often to keep the pasta pieces separate.
D. Test for readiness... Read step 6. above.
E. When the pasta is al dente drain it as indicated in the steps 7, 8, 9, and 10 above.
F. Pour the pasta into a bowl of adequate size. Add the dressing or sauce, toss it well, add cheese if indicated by the recipe, and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Do you add oil to the water when is boiling?
Answer: NO! You don't need to add oil at all when cooking the pasta. It accomplishes nothing.
FAQ: Do you add oil to the pasta after drained?
Answer: NO! After the pasta is drained you will add the sauce to the pasta, so there is no point in adding oil. Some people leave the pasta undressed and the sauce in a separate bowl. In that case they add oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking. That is WRONG! The pasta needs to be dressed with the sauce after drained and is served at once. The oil doesn't add flavor, adds just oil taste. If you have a condiment based on oil then you don't need to add anything. If the condiment is based on something else, adding oil will only add an intrusive taste.
What is Italian Cooking?
Many non-Italians identify Italian cooking with a few of its most popular dishes, like pizza and spaghetti. People often express the opinion that Italian cooking is all pretty much alike. However, those who travel through Italy notice differences in eating habits between cities, even those only a few miles apart.
Not only does each region have its own style, but each community and each valley has a different way of cooking as well. Every town has a distinctive way of making sausage, special kinds of cheese and wine, and a local type of bread. If you ask people, even in the same area, how to make pasta sauce, they will all have different answers.
Variations in the omnipresent pasta are another example of the multiplicity of Italian recipes: soft egg noodles in the north, hard-boiled spaghetti in the south, with every conceivable variation in size and shape. Perhaps no other country in the world has a cooking style so finely fragmented into different divisions. So why is Risotto typical of Milan, why did Tortellini originate in Bologna, and why is Pizza so popular in Naples?
This is so for the same reason that Italy has only one unifying Italian language, yet hundreds of different spoken dialects. Italy is a country of great variety, and cooking is just another aspect of the diversity of Italian culture.
This diversity stems largely from peasant heritage and geographical differences. Italy is a peninsula separated from the rest of the continent by the highest chain of mountains in Europe. In addition, a long spine of mountains runs north to south down through this narrow country. These geographic features create a myriad of environments with noticeable variations: fertile valleys, mountains covered with forests, cool foothills, naked rocks, Mediterranean coastlines, and arid plains. A great variety of different climates have also created innumerable unique geographical and historical areas.
But geographical fragmentation alone will not explain how the same country produced all of these: the rich, fat, baroque food of Bologna, based on butter, parmigiano, and meat; the light, tasty, spicy cooking of Naples, mainly based on olive oil, mozzarella, and seafood; the cuisine of Rome, rich in produce from the surrounding countryside; and the food of Sicily, full of North African influences.
The explanation is hidden in the past; the multitudes of food styles of Italy mainly result from its history. Divided for a long time into many duchies, princedoms, kingdoms, and states—often hostile to one another—political unification in Italy did not occur until 1861. Many populations in the past three thousand years have occupied Italian territory, and most of them contributed their own traditions. And the original people, the Etruscans and Greeks, left influences still felt today.
Local traditions result from long complex historical developments and strongly influence local habits. Distinctive cultural and social differences remain present throughout Italy, although today mass marketing tends to cause a leveling of long-established values. In a country so diverse, it is impossible to define an “Italian” cooking style, but traditional food still is at the core of the cultural identity of each region, and Italians react with attachment to their own identity when they are confronted with the tendency toward flattening their culture
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