Pasta is one of the staples of our diet, but with fresh basil pesto, vine-ripened heirlooms and artisanal cheeses, a pasta meal can be incredibly delicious and satisfying.
“It is so much more than just grabbing a jar of generic sauce at the store, boiling some water and mixing it all up in a bowl,” said Dave Hirschkop of the Dave’s Gourmet line of sauces. “There are subtle secrets in every step of the process, from choosing the sauce, boiling the water, and plating the finished meal that can take an everyday dull meal and turn it into a gourmet dining experience.”
Choosing the Pasta
If you want a great pasta experience, choose a variety of pasta that receives the sauce and spices well. Thinner more delicate shapes should pair with lighter thinner sauces. Pick pasta made from durum wheat, and a slightly rougher pasta or shaped pasta holds the sauce better. Some of the whole wheat and brown rice pastas now available, such as those made by Jovial Einkorn, hold sauce particularly well.
Choosing the Sauce
Good marinara is made primarily from tomatoes, not tomato paste. If your sauce ingredients list paste, water or sugar as the first ingredient, then you need to put the jar down slowly and back away from it. Some sauces make a better base so don’t be afraid to doctor it with meat, cheese, or fresh veggies. Also, to keep your pasta love life interesting, experiment with different types of sauce, such as tomato cream, arugala, cilantro or basil pesto, or wild mushroom.
Boiling the Pasta
Use plenty of water, add salt to it, and never put dry pasta in the water until it has reached a rolling boil. Stir occasionally and once the pasta nears the minimum cooking time on the package, start tasting it. Take the pasta out when it is al dente or a little firm. The pasta will continue to cook a little after you take it out.
When using a heated sauce, you can also take the pasta out of the water a few minutes early and let it finish cooking in the sauce.
Plating the Pasta
When you strain the pasta, do not run water over it unless you are making a cold pasta salad. Make sure to strain really well as nobody likes watery pasta. Place a ladle of sauce at the bottom of your serving bowl before dumping the cooked pasta in. Then, ladle generous amounts of sauce into the bowl, and toss the pasta so the sauce is evenly distributed. You might want to garnish each plate with fresh basil, parsley or other greens. Add freshly grated Parmesan (preferably Reggiano) if you like.
Preparing the Bread
The bread is important, because at the end of the meal, a good textured bread can be used to soak up excess sauce. To make the most of the bread, bake it for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees. This will make for toasty nooks and crannies that will capture the sauce in your plate without letting the bread go limp or soggy. Garlic bread can also be a delicious alternative.
Photo courtesy of Whitney
