The history of pasta can be traced through several cultures and continents, from the Middle East to Africa to Asia, going back thousands of years. Despite having a diverse geographic history, pasta seems to be universally associated with Italy. Pasta’s earliest roots began in China, during the Shang Dynasty (1700-1100 BC), where a form of pasta was made with either wheat or rice flour. Pasta also makes an appearance in the ancient Greek diet in the first millennium BC. Similarly, Africa had its own form of pasta made with kamut crop.
Pasta is simple, it is made with semolina flour, water, and salt. It should be a staple in any kitchen because it is cost effective, extremely shelf stable, and the meal possibilities are nearly endless. Pasta comes in so many different forms, shapes, and textures – over 500 types in Italy alone.
Pasta from the BNC belongs in your pantry! Some recipes benefit from having fresh pasta, while there are others that will be far more successful when you use boxed, dried pasta. At the end of the day, isn’t the goal to create a meal that is delicious?
Fresh and dried pasta are actually made with unique ingredients, which results in two products that are basically two different foods. Let’s take a more specific look at how the two types of pasta differ:
Dried pasta
- Made from semolina flour, water, and salt
- Can be stored at room temperature almost indefinitely
- Air-dried pastas originated in southern Italy
- The firmness of dried pasta allows it to hold up in the heartiest of sauces
- The rough texture helps flavorful sauces to “cling” to dried pasta
- Most shapes of dried pasta double in size when cooked
Fresh Pasta
- Contains eggs
- More tender than dried and takes half the time to cook
- The delicate texture makes it perfect for cream and dairy-based sauces
- Fresh pasta is far more smooth than dried
- Fresh pasta is more common in northern Italy
- It tends to be more expensive than dried and must be refrigerated
The beauty of your kitchen is that the only rules that apply are the ones that you have created. If you want to take pappardelle and cover it with a sauce that is typically used with dried pasta, go for it! Be creative in your kitchen and enjoy delicious foods however you wish! Food should be an expression of your personality, culture, and unique taste. Whether that is fresh or dried pasta, find a recipe or make one up that you truly love to prepare in a way that excites you!
When you walk through the OSU pantry there are so many different ways to dress up your pasta and make it into a tasty meal. A few ideas include:
- Beans, pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, butter sauce, lemon juice
- Tuna package/can, pasta sauce, fresh vegetables
- Chicken, corn, herb butter sauce
- Peanut butter sauce, pasta, steamed vegetables
- Ground meat, leafy greens, tomato pasta sauce
- Chicken noodle soup
These are just a few examples of how to bring some ingredients found in the OSU pantry to life and why it should be a go to item! Try this recipe for pasta from from budgetbytes.com. This site has lots of recipe ideas that can work on a budget and has good pictures to show the steps. (While the prices listed haven’t been updated to reflect current grocery prices, it is still a good idea source.)
Tuscan White Bean Pasta is great example:
https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuscan-white-bean-pasta/
https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/pasta/quick-pasta/
