Pasta is an economical and quick food to prepare. It is therefore no coincidence that 8 out of 10 French people enjoy it at least once a week. They are also a potentially balanced and tasty food. It all depends on the type of pasta chosen, its accompaniment, and its cooking. Magazine experts 60 Million consumers take stock and give some advice for orientation.
Because it is not easy to sort it out. Many brands share the market, such as the French Panzani and Lustucru, the Italians Barilla, De Cecco and Rummo, and private labels. First tip: look at the color. “ It must be uniform. Spotted or grooved dough is a sign of poor drying », explains Sophie Goffaux, pharmacist and author of Histoiredepates.net.
Look for “slow drying”
Drying is a crucial step in the manufacturing process. “ The slower it is, via low temperature drying, the better the dough will be », underlines the specialist. On the other hand, ” the more we accelerate it by increasing the temperature, the more the gluten forms a dense and solid network. When cooking, the hydration of the starch is less effective, and the dough will be much less soft. »
The words “slow drying”, sometimes in Italian (lenta essiccasione), or “slow treatment” (lenta lavorazione), are a guarantee of quality, according to the association’s experts.
The shape of pasta is important
Another criterion to take into account: the shape of the pasta, which is chosen according to its accompaniment. For sauces, it is better to opt for short, fleshy, hollow and ridged models, so that it sticks well to the reliefs and is better absorbed. Long pasta is reserved for recipes without sauces, but rather seasoned with oil, as in the case of spaghetti with clams. “ But there are no strict rules,” would like to reassure Sophie Goffaux.
Pay attention to cooking time
The expert also pays attention to the cooking time. According to her, pasta that requires more than 10 minutes of cooking is more likely to be of good quality. Pasta ready in a few minutes, and therefore thinner, is more difficult to cook and risks being soft or even falling apart.
Finally, for fans of taste, more and more manufacturers are offering bronze wire drawing references, which consists of stretching and forming the dough by passing the flour-water mixture through bronze discs. Alpina, Barilla and De Cecco are among them, as well as the brands Fiorini from Intermarché and Carrefour original. “ You have a dough that is fleshier, more textured, more expressive, it is really the main ingredient of the dish », Indicates Sicilian chef Fabrizio Ferrara.
Source: www.topsante.com
