Different Types Of Pasta

Different Types of Pasta
Know what you're buying!

Different types of Pasta, because pasta is not just pasta. Know what you're buying and how to choose a great quality brand. Lets face it, if you're going to spend a good amount of time making a really great sauce you have to serve it over a quality pasta.

If you're looking for a Pasta Shapes guide click here from the Different Types of Pasta page to find a large selection pasta shapes and photos!

The extruder is the mechanism that make the pasta shapes as the dough is being pushed through it during the pasta manufacturing process. Pasta shapes such as Penne, fettucini and spaghetti are created depending on the shape of the extruder. What material that extruder is made with will greatly effect the texture as well and ultimately the quality of the pasta recipe.

Bronze Dyes
Bronze dyes are more course in surface texture and will create a more porous and chalky texture to the pasta. This is considered the best texture for a pasta. The porous texture allows for the pasta sauce to adhere to the pasta and absorb the sauce.

Teflon Dyes
Teflon is smooth and slick surface and is exactly like the surface of any Teflon cooking pan. This surface creates a smooth, shiny and slick texture to the pasta when an extruder is made with Teflon. Less likely for the pasta to absorb the sauce or adhere to it.

So why do manufactures use it? It's much easier to clean and it extrudes the dough more quickly thus producing more pasta in the same amount of time.

Tisk, tisk. There's no rushing a masterpiece.

Different Types of Pasta and Grains:

Semolina Pasta:

Semolina is the type of flour that is used to make a pasta. More of a yellow grain then a standard all purpose flour. It comes from Durum wheat which is considered the best wheat to use when manufacturing pasta. Italy happens to have the best quality durum wheat in the world.

Wheat pasta:

wheat that eats like a semolina pasta. Wheat pasta is made just like a semolina pasta but the hulls and the shell of the wheat is left on which gives the pasta a darker color and a rich wheat and nutty flavor and of course is much higher in nutrients.

Egg Pasta:

Egg pasta has a definite yellow appearance to it. Although most pasta recipes require egg, the egg pasta or egg noodle has more egg then a standard recipe. This type of pasta is good for soups or kugel recipes because they absorb flavors more easily.

Eggless Pasta:

It is possible to have a pasta without egg. Of course making it yourself fresh is the best way and if you do use a semolina flour or it will fall apart. Eggless pasta is much more delicate then egg pasta.

Gluten Free Pastas:

Gluten is the key ingredient that creates the starch and the flavor of pasta so there is a lot of gluten in a regular pasta. For those of you on a gluten free diet pasta is typically OFF THE MENU. The primary ingredients in most gluten free pasta is brown rice, potato starch, corn, quinoa and others such as soy beans.

Organic Pasta:

Most pasta that comes from Italy is organic. There isn't much in preservatives in making pasta however to be considered organic here in America it has to be certified organic which means it has to come from an organic farmer that adheres to certain criteria that make the farm and food organic.

Although I have not had many bad experiences with organic pasta I have to say that the organic pasta sauces I've had are really tasteless.

Alternative Grain Pastas:

There are several grains that have tried to take the seat of the durum wheat in the making of pasta. Grains to include are Kamut, spelt, quinoa to name a few. Some considered gluten free and others are not.

A great Italian pasta recipe is a marriage between both pasta and sauce. So it's very important as in all Italian food recipes to use the best quality ingredients when preparing your meal.

Different Types of Pasta Brands:

Always remember: A great sauce will not cover up the taste of a bad pasta.

A good quality pasta will also cook better. Some just soak up the water and bloat up no matter how little you cook them.

There are probably more choices in America today for brands of pasta then there has ever been. The selection in your standard grocery store, depending on which store you shop, can be very impressive.

Some specialty grocery stores or specialty Italian shops carry the more exclusive pasta brands.

Then there is the internet. Providing us the worlds bounty in the comfort of our living room. There are an abundance of websites that offer boutique pasta manufacturing house products in addition to the different types of pasta they offer. Such as pasta maker machines, custom Italian wines and cheeses you may not find here in America.

In my local grocery chain stores I am likely to find Ronzoni, Barilla Pasta, Gia Russa, and De Cecco pasta brands to name a few. These are the brands I know will cost any where from one to four dollars.

A standard brand of pasta will cost about one dollar per pound or box. I good brand will cost about double that and a select few more then four dollars. But consider the difference. We are talking about one or two dollars.

Even in the toughest of times, if the different types of pastas available to me would make or break my meal I think I'm worth the extra few bucks and so are you!

So Mangia Bene my friends and remember. Pasta is fundamental!