pasta

a dish that contains pasta as its main ingredient shaped and dried dough made from flour and water and sometimes egg

cuisine Pasta is a food that is made of mainly carbohydrates and is often eaten before events to give one's body energy. Pasta comes from the Italian, however, it is very popular in other parts of Europe and the United States. The English languageEnglish word pasta generally refers to noodles and other food products made from a flour and water paste, often including also Egg (food)egg and edible saltsalt. Less frequently, the term macaroni (written as ''maccheroni'' in Italian) is used for the same products.Pasta can also denote dishes in which pasta products are the primary ingredient, served with sauce or seasonings. The word comes from Italian languageItalian ''pasta'' which means basically "paste", and by extension "dough", "pasta", or "pastry" as in "small cake". As recently as 1918 the English word "paste" was used instead of or alongside the Italian ''pasta''bartleby.com. Today the word "pasta" is reserved for Italian-style noodles in English-speaking countries, while the word "noodle" has a more general meaning.Dried Italian-style pasta is made from durum wheat semolina or flour, which gives it a light yellow color. Asian-style noodles as well as most fresh noodles are made from regular (non-durum) wheat flour. Some pasta varieties, such as Pizzoccheri, are made from buckwheat flour.Gnocchi are often listed among pasta dishes, although they are quite different in ingredients (mainly milled potatoes) and mode of preparation.Pasta is made either by extrusion, where the ingredients are forced through holes in a plate known as a die, or by lamination, in which dough is kneaded, folded, rolled to thickness, then cut by slitters. Fresh Pasta cooks quickly and has a delicate taste, but spoils quickly due to its high water content. Dry Pasta generally contains about 7% moisture, which makes it shelf stable for about a year.Most people today like pasta because of its easy and fast preparation, as well as tastiness. Pastas only need to be boiled and topped, a process that can take as little as fifteen minutes. There are a number of ways to flavor pasta, many of which are commonly used cooking ingredients. Pasta is very versatile and ''almost'' impossible to ruin.

History - Pasta was developed independently in a number of places around the globe (though some anthropologyanthropologists dispute this). In each of these places, locally available grain was the primary starch source in the diet. Grains had, before the invention of pasta, been consumed as a porridgegruel or grain paste, or rendered into flour and eaten as bread. Pasta noodles were likely developed as an alternative to gruel or bread. Pasta noodles can be created even where there is no oven, or not enough fuel to support an oven. In contrast, bread requires a great investment in time and effort to create. In terms of outcome for the effort, pasta is therefore significantly simpler than bread, as any place that something can be kept dry, one can have pasta noodles. The earliest known records of noodles in Europe are found on Etruscan civilizationEtruscan tomb decorations from the 4th century BC. Recently noodles dating back to about 2000 BC has been found near Lajia at the Huang He in Western China. The site was devastated by an earthquake followed by a flood. The yellow noodles survived in an upside down clay pot underneath a thick layer of loess. Archeologist Houyuan Lu discovered the noodles and was able to take some photos. Analysis showed that the noodles with a length of ca. 1/2 meter and a diameter of 3 mm were produced from millet.Utensils that are thought to have been used to make pasta were also found in the ruins of Pompeii, where other Chinese objects were found, the silk road having extended to Rome in 30 BC. Thus, we know the popular legend of Marco Polo bringing back pasta to Italy from China is absolutely false. Note, however, that Chinese noodles before the age of industrialized food production were always used fresh, and they are comprised of one giant noodle mass through the cooking process because it is considered bad luck in China to cut noodles before serving them to eat.Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing the first ''macaroni'' machine to America in 1789 when he returned home after serving as ambassador (diplomacy)ambassador to France.

Accompaniments - Common pasta sauces in northern Italy include pesto (a green sauce, made from basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese) and also Bolognese_saucebolognese (a ground beef sauce); in central Italy tomato sauce (a red tomato-based sauce), and amatriciana (a red tomato/wine based sauce, usually including onion and bacon strips). Pasta sauces that are rarely eaten by Italians but are popular outside Italy include alfredo (a white cream sauce), and spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce.In Italy, pasta with sauce (''sugo'') is often called "pastasciutta" ("asciutta" means "dry," indicating that the pasta is not served in broth).

Pasta varieties - Pasta comes in many different shapes and sizes. There are simple string-shaped pasta like spaghetti and vermicelli, ribbon-shaped ones like fettucine and linguine, short tubes like elbow macaroni and penne, large sheets like lasagna, tiny grains like couscous and orzo, and hollow pasta stuffed with filling, like ravioli, manicotti, and tortellini. See List of pasta for more.

See also -

Chinese noodles

Japanese noodles

Boiled pasta

Italian cuisine

Pizza

List of recipes

Cooking

Food

External links - cookbookparPasta Recipes

food-info.net - Pasta shapes An illustrated guide

mediterrasian.com - Pasta puttanesca recipe

completerecipes.com - Complete Recipes: Pasta

elook.org - eLook: Pasta Recipes

ilovepasta.org - National Pasta Organization Over 300 recipies, sorted by category such as "30 Minute," "Beef and Lamb," and !"Meatless"Category:P asta!*da:Pastade:Pastaes:Pastafi:Pa stafr:Pâtes? !alimentairesit:Pastaja:パス� ��nl:Pastapl:Makaronpt:Massas? !alimentíciassl:Testeninesv:Pa stazh:意式麵食

Altrovino, vino e altro con un click
Italian wines and... more. A lot of news, cocktails, travel ideas for the gourmets of the web. With some interesting pages about le parole del vino (the language of wine), un pranzo da re (a king's lunch), forme da bere (bottles and glasses), lo sapevate che? (do You know?) and so on. With a catalogue of some of the best italian wines, pasta, olio, coffee and... more.
http://www.altrovino.com/

Beharry Group
The Beharry Group, based in Georgetown, Guyana, is a leading business in the Caribbean, with interests in Food Manufacturing (Condiments, Confectionery and Pasta), Fire and Life Insurance, Automotive Sales and Financial Services (Banking and Investment)
http://beharrygroup.com/

Spain´s Finest Olive Oils & Gourmet Foods
Caroliva is a line of artisan produced award winning gourmet foods from Andalusia, Spain. The Caro family produces world renowned Caroliva estate extra virgin olive oil, as well as a variety of gourmet Spanish delicacies for your tapas table including Caroliva Reserve Sherry vinegar of Jerez and rare Spanish 18 year aged Caroliva balsamic vinegar
http://www.proacec.com/

Easy Gourmet Recipes
The bi-lingual Spanish/ English recipe website that features real restaurant recipes! Easy Gourmet Recipes is your resource for planning an easy gourmet meal with flair for any occasion.
http://www.easygourmetrecipes.com/

Primeurtje
Groenten en Fruit
http://www.primeurtje.be/

Mint's Fast Food Page
Over 400 links to North American (fast) food chains and restaurants.
http://www.tinymuse.org/~mint/fastfood/fastfood.html

Apulianfood.com
Apulianfood.com è il più ricco portale di prodotti tipici pugliesi nato circa due anni fa e si pone come obbiettivo quello di esporre e promuovere i prodotti tipici enogastronomici dell'artigianato pugliese sul web. Attraverso numerose iniziative ed un costante contatto con enti, associazioni e privati, Apulianfood utilizza il sempre più diffuso canale di internet per raggiungere gli amanti della gastronomia italiana in ogni posto del mondo.
http://www.apulianfood.com

THE NIBBLE - Gourmet food magazine with product reviews of the best gourmet food and specialty food
Online gourmet food magazine and website with a thousand product reviews of gourmet food and beverages. There's also an opt-in newsletter about gourmet foods and beverages that delivers a top food pick of the week, and a tip of the day. THE NIBBLE is the only consumer publication devoted to specialty foods.
http://www.thenibble.com

Liberty Richter:specialty food,confection,confectionery
Welcome to Liberty Richter Inc., America's premier marketer and importer of specialty foods and confections. Our business is managing premium gourmet food and confection brands for both large and small companies
http://www.libertyrichter.com/

Kosher Technical Konsultants
Shield Star-K Kosher Certification provides kosher supervision worldwide. Shield Star-K's kosher symbol assures global acceptance, personalized service, calls answered around the clock
http://www.koshertechnicalkonsultants.org/

Pitfire Pizza Company
The Pitfire Pizza Company is a quick service format restaurant. Its menu includes Pizza, Pasta, Panini and Salads, with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. Signature pizzas include Sweet Fennel Sausage with Roasted San Joaquin Tomatoes, Red Onion, Bel Paese, Fontina and Mozzarella; White Pizza with Pesto, Organic Russian Kale, Arugula, Roasted Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese. Pastas include Spaghetti Fresca with Red & Yellow Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Spinach, Garlic, Basil, Fresh Mozzarella and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Pitfire Pizza Company 108 W. 2nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 11am – 10pm Sunday to Sunday 213-808-1200 www.pitfirepizza.com
http://www.pitfirepizza.com/

Casalinga Foods catering and frozen food Products
catering for all accassions,catering wedding recptions,christmas partys,memorial receptions,buffet dinner,buffet luncheons,work luncheons,frozen food products,FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTSF,tv dinners,TV DINNERS,seniors meals.Quality home cooked frozen dinners,Burnaby British Columbia canada,coquitlam catering,burnaby catering,vancouver catering,port coquitlam catering,ritchmond caterer's,surrey catering,british columbia catering
http://www.casalingafoods.com

AMSAN COMMODITIES
We deal in Sugar, Tomato Paste, Biodiesel, Safflower Oil, Pineapple, Canned Tuna & Sardines, Olives, Camellia Oil, Corn Oil, Frozen Meat, Bitumen, Caviar, Beans, Ceramic tiles, Sanitary, MAP, MKP, Energy Drink, Soup, Fertilizers, Phosphate Products, Garlic, Water, Pasta, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Urea, Cocoa, Foodstuff, Pesticides, Concentred Brazilian Natural Juices. Wheat, Corn/Maize, Cement, Clinker,Rice, Soybean, , Coal, DAP, HMS, Milk Powder, Chemicals, Rails, Silica Sand, Beverages, Ginger, Groundnuts, Seeds, Beer, Wine, Fungicides, etc...
http://www.amsan.org/

Estateolie. The essential guide
Estateolie is a complete articulated tourist guide created to reach, get to know and appreciate every aspect of the Aeolian archipelago and its interesting itineraries. There are many proposals and all are carefully examined: first class hotels, comfortable family-run guest houses, campsites and residences, sports centres and agritourismi and finallynight time entertainments.Naturally there is no shortage of gastronomic tips, on restaurants, pizzeria and trattorie. Finally a guide to shopping and news on summer festivals. Estateolie is available in italian, english and deutsch versions.
http://www.estateolie.it/

I Love Pasta
The official web site of the National Pasta Association provides pasta recipes, pasta facts, and nutritional information about pasta.
http://www.ilovepasta.org/

The Pasta Shoppe
Over 180 novelty pastas in shapes for holidays or specific themes.
http://www.pastashoppe.com/

Pasta Pomodoro Italian Restaurants
California chain.
http://pastapomodoro.com