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Is there an STW approved dry pasta that magically makes the most hum drum spagbol or tuna pasta bake into an Instabanger taste sensation or is all 50p a bag pasta much of a muchness?
Needs to be Bronze Die pasta.
De Cecco is as good as it gets for factory pasta, la Molisana is good too but not as widespread. It's definitely worth steering clear of the very cheap stuff imo.
Rigatoni... Any brand
The difference between a good pasta and an indifferent one amounts to about 15p a serving. Though I expect the £1 or so difference per meal to feed a family is very real for some these days
This is probs my favourite.
https://www.adimaria.co.uk/pappardelle-alluovo-500g
Or the De Cecco version if you're feeling fancy.
Bucatini is fun also 🙂
Bronze pasta, this link is pretty good on why and what's what.
50p is an unbranded bso
A bit more gets you something like a Boardman, which is a world apart
A bit more gets you a trek or a specialized
Anything over that, it's better but diminishing returns
Tesco finest Gigli is nice. As is their Orecchiette. Waitrose do a nice Trofie dried pasta, and their Bucatini. Can’t say I’ve tried any of them in a tuna bake but other recipes are available.
If you listen closely OP you can hear Carluccio spinning in his grave. Ragu sauce goes with tagliatelle not spaghetti, more sauce sticks to the wider pasta.
Tuna pasta bake was a child staple and I can no longer face it as the boy would eat it 7 times a week of he could when younger!!
I used to use fancy pastas but Waitrose Essentials is OK for me these days.
There are only 2 types of pasta, fresh or dried.
But looking at the links above the ingredients are the same as the 50p stuff only it's in fancy shapes.
Is fancy pasta the equivalent of fancy speaker cables?
For ages I thought 'Bronze Die Pasta' was just a fancy name for a specific type of pasta (say it in an Italian accent).
Then last year, at the age of 39 I realised it was just pasta pushed through a die made of bronze.
I'm perfectly happy with the 20p budget supermarket spaghetti when I can find it nowadays! Breaks my heart that I can only find the 40p stuff at the moment 😡
tuna pasta bake
You've given me uni nostalgia, after living off this I think I have finally given myself enough of a break to eat it again (15 years).
But looking at the links above the ingredients are the same as the 50p stuff
Chateau Lafite 62 has the same ingredients as Blue Nun.
De Cecco is decent; Giuseppe Cocco is better.
I’m perfectly happy with the 20p budget supermarket spaghetti when I can find it nowadays!
Well, if you either can't tell the difference between the cheap stuff and its pricier equivalent, or just don't think the difference is worth paying for you'd be daft to pay more.
I don't think the taste is that different, the most important thing is to cook it well. Plenty of water and plenty of salt.
Don't forget a generous splash of olive oil or a smaller splash of truffle oil.
Tuna Pasta Bake? Isn't that what Helen made for Rob, just before she stabbed him?
A handy rule of thumb is to look at the texture; if it's smooth it's probably naff, good pasta is usually coarse from the bronze die.
I don’t think the taste is that different, the most important thing is to cook it well. Plenty of water and plenty of salt.
Yup. Pasta needs to be able to move around to cook evenly.
Don’t forget a generous splash of olive oil or a smaller splash of truffle oil.
Not really, unless it's part of the dish. Sauce is generally supposed to adhere to the pasta, not slide off it.
Don’t forget a generous splash of olive oil or a smaller splash of truffle oil.
Not really, unless it’s part of the dish. Sauce is generally supposed to adhere to the pasta, not slide off it.
That's a matter of opinion and, in my opinion, your opinion is wrong but...each to their own.
A handy rule of thumb is to look at the texture; if it’s smooth it’s probably naff, good pasta is usually coarse from the bronze die.
aaaah! that's what the bronze die thing is about {goes off to Google}
That’s a matter of opinion and, in my opinion, your opinion is wrong but…each to their own.
If you need oil in your pasta water you're possibly overcooking it or not using enough water. Y'know, in my opinion.
Though as I said, it depends on the dish. I do a garlic spaghetti whose primary ingredient (other than those two) is olive oil. Pre-lubed pasta n a bolognaise, not so much.
(I'm no chef but I eat a lot of pasta. Like, probably every other day.)
Oil goes in the sauce (if needed), not in the water.
I agree with the 'the brand of pasta is less important than the way you cook it' school. LOTS of boiling water. Salt. Time. Not a lot else.
However, getting the right shape of pasta for your sauce is a whole other can of worms...
Spaghetti is just annoying. Penne or the twisty ones for me.
The différence between good and bad pasta is the number of eggs per kilogramme of flour. The more the better, 10 is the max in fresh pasta.
Oil in the water is to prevent the pasta clumping- thats all. Only needs a small amount
Biggest pan you've got is what I've found helps the most.
Always use the big 5 litre pan with a good couple of litres in it. Unless I'm just doing pasta for one.
The bronze die stuff is noticeably better IME, and the cost difference per meal is trivial unless you're on a really tight budget.
According to an Italian friend - the key is the protein content. 12% is the minimum, that'll be OK, but the good stuff has around 14% protein.
It works for me...
Oil in the water - nope. Make sure your truffle oil actually has truffle in it also, most supermarket stuff doesn't.
Your rarely see Italians adding olive oil to the pan of water. A pinch of salt yes but oil no. I think it's a TV chef affectation
Lots of nice pasta out there. Just try some with different rougher textures as the sauce clings to it better
Pasta water should be as salty as the sea
Keep a little bit of cooking water when you drain the pasta
Add the pasta to the sauce, not the other way round and then add the cooking water back in slowly on a medium heat. Shake the wet sauce liberally round the pasta. The oil from the sauce and water will coat the pasta and make it properly textured.
You can thank me later
I used to put oil in the pasta water. Think it was a relic from seeing Delia or someone like that do it.
Never do it now. If you watch the Italian chefs (Gennaro, Giro etc) they never do it.
Biggest pan. Loads of water. Loads of salt.
Tonights tuna (and sweetcorn) pasta bake is going to be epic!
Thanks STW
I put a tiny bit of oil in, stops the water foaming and boiling over - nowhere near enough to coat the pasta though.
I put a tiny bit of oil in, stops the water foaming and boiling over
Or use a bigger pan.
Olive oil is used in cooking the sauce or a little to dress pasta after cooking (depending on the dish) or the dish when serving but not needed in the pasta water.
I do a garlic spaghetti whose primary ingredient (other than those two) is olive oil.
Aglio e Olio.Yum. Had it last night with black pepper and a few chilli flakes.
Aglio e Olio.Yum. Had it last night with black pepper and a few chilli flakes
About as simple and delicious as it gets. Try it with your supermarket's value range pasta, then try it with De Cecco. If you really can't tell the difference celebrate your 15p per portion saving. If you can tell the difference, marvel at how spending so little extra has enhanced your life.
No oil in the water necessary but why not if you want to? As for the amount of egg in pasta as a mark of quality - some pasta is made with egg, some isn't. It's just a different recipe producing a different pasta, neither is inherently better.
Olive did a Review of this recently and the Rummo pasta was the winner. Saying that, I also like the Bronze Die Rigatoni stuff.
Olive did a Review of this recently
Didn't she die this week?
For some reason I find there's a big difference in flavour between the different shapes of dried pasta. I tend not to enjoy the spiral or tube ones very much but I like linguine, spaghetti and tagliatelli.
I once heard (probably on this forum) that Italians use dried pasta for tomato-based sauces and fresh for cream-based. This makes sense to me.
After Christmas I found we had a couple of Aldi lobster tails in the freezer so I decided to make a lobster linguine. I started by poaching the tails in a mix of white wine and water, and because I didn't want to waste the poaching liquid now it had been infused with the flavour of the shells I used it to boil the fresh linguine. Eeee, it were reet good!
Big pan and lots of salty water on full boil. If the pan boils over, rest a wooden spoon across the top of the pan, stops the frothing.
And definitely save the salty water to add to the sauce after you've added the pasta, the pasta will continue to absorb liquid so serve slightly wetter so there's still some sauce left when you're down to the last few spoonfuls, and there's a piece of bread in your other hand waiting to wipe the bowl clean. Adding oil only inhibits the pasta from absorbing the moisture and flavour, it also explains the Bolognese sauce dribbled down the front of your shirt.
Unless on a budget, bronze die or fresh is a no-brainer
And did I say no cheese with seafood pasta? (With certain exceptions, pasta with prawns sauted in butter and pesto being one, sounds so wrong but tastes so yum...)
Oh yes, we had a wonderful prawn and pesto with little bits of chilli pasta dish in the US a couple of years back that has become a staple for us back at home.
And did I say no cheese with seafood pasta?
absolutly correct
Sounds good, I'll try it with bits of chilli next time, though probably saute the prawns in oil rather than butter. Sauteed in butter makes for a great comfort food dish, where I guess the chilli will give it a fresher vibe.
it's a good mix, the oiliness and creaminess of the pesto (and I think there's a bit of something creamy goes in with it too, maybe creme fraiche, will ask the wife) and then the chilli (dice to tiny 1-2mm cubes) adds a bit of bite through it.
Years ago some Italian colleagues were doing an Italian evening at work and drove miles to find pasta made from Semolina flour. Nothing else would do according to them. The food was sensational.
De cecco or M&S own brand, lots of salty water and ALWAYS put the pasta into the sauce, never the sauce onto the pasta
Aglio e Olio.Yum. Had it last night with black pepper and a few chilli flakes.
I never knew what it was called. Give me a minute, I'll post up my recipe.
[size=20]Spaghetti with Roasted Garlic and Oil[/size]
(or Spaghetti Aglio e Olio it seems, who knew)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 200g thin spaghetti
• 60ml good olive oil
• a pinch of red pepper / chilli flakes
• 40g pine nuts
• 25g bag fresh basil, finely chopped
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• Knob of butter
• grated cheese (the recipe I started this from suggested "Asiago"?)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Slice the top off the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, replace the top, wrap in foil and roast in the oven (200'C, 40-60 mins).
2. Simmer the spaghetti until just al dente.
3. Toast the pine nuts in the oven until golden brown, takes a couple of minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb and roughly chop.
5. Add the olive oil back in the same pan along with the lemon juice, butter, chilli flakes and garlic. Heat the oil to a sizzle, mashing the garlic with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon. Heat for a minute or two, but don't get it so hot that the garlic starts to toast or burn.
6. When the pasta is done, remove it with tongs directly into the hot oil and garlic. Toss well.
7. Add in the basil, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well again.
Serve and optionally scatter with cheese to finish.
^ you were right the first time Cougar. That is 100% not Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. All the ingredients in Spaghetti Aglio e Olio are listed in its name.
😂 Fair enough. Ta.
Yes Aglio e Olio is simply sliced garlic warmed through in olive oil (not browned) and then spaghetti tossed into it. But I do like the sound of Cougar's, whatever it's called.
https://www.elizabethminchilli.com/2014/04/fettucine-anchovies-butter/
This is an amazingly simple, but very delicious recipe.
In lockdown 1 I got in the habit of making fresh pasta every Saturday for lunch, with aglio, olio e peperoncino, like this:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017306-pasta-aglio-olio-e-peperoncino
It's always our staple pasta to share as a starter in Italy.
pothead
ALWAYS put the pasta into the sauce, never the sauce onto the pasta
Hmmm... not sure my saucepanfull of pasta will fit into the pesto jar?!
Pesto is a dressing really, not a sauce...
Pretty sure in Anthony Bourdain's book when he talks about learning to cook pasta properly in an Italian place in NY they would boil it in water until it had only softened slightly and then add it to the sauce to finish cooking it.
RustyNissanPrairie
Full Member
Tonights tuna (and sweetcorn) pasta bake is going to be epic!
Thanks STW
Has RNP resurfaced yet?
Why am I reading this now....feel like doing a tuna pasta with chilli pesto sauce...
Just checking in to make sure the infidels aren't still trying to get us to add oil to the water.
Proceed...
RustyNissanPrairie
Full Member
Tonights tuna (and sweetcorn) pasta bake is going to be epic!
Thanks STW
Has RNP resurfaced yet?
I'm here! I've just been thinking how to word my next question for the all knowing STW.
You know when you eat sweetcorn and look in the toilet after the following 'sit down session'.....
It's wording the next bit I'm struggling with but carry on with the pasta conversation - it's interesting
Easiest & most tasty pasta from knack all ingredients…
Finely chopped onion
A jar of anchovies
Pepper - lots of pepper
Sauté the onions, add anchovies and cook down to mush, add lots and lots of pepper then throw in some cooking water and some al dente bucatini
The sweetcorn often appears in the bowl in pristine condition..... nobody knows exactly why, it's something to do with Baby Jesus, aliens and long chain hydrocarbons 🤔
I like sweetcorn but I came to the conclusion years ago that it primarily exists as an excuse to eat butter.
Who needs an excuse? I can eat it off a spoon.
I put a tiny bit of oil in, stops the water foaming and boiling over
Big pan and lots of salty water on full boil. If the pan boils over, rest a wooden spoon across the top of the pan, stops the frothing.
Just checking in to make sure the infidels aren’t still trying to get us to add oil to the water.
Proceed…
There seems to be a lot of confusion over even the basics, the easy way we cook pasta, no need for oil or worry about it boiling over for the whole time...
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add lots of salt, add pasta bring back to boil. Cook at a rolling boil for 1 minute, remove from heat give it a quick stir, place a tea towel under lid (to seal), and let it rest for the amount of time suggested on the packet (minus 1 minute). Perfect pasta every time and no frothing/boiling over water or any need for oil.
Amateurs. 15 minutes in the microwave.
I put a tiny bit of oil in, stops the water foaming and boiling over
Or use a bigger pan.
and
Big pan and lots of salty water on full boil. If the pan boils over, rest a wooden spoon across the top of the pan, stops the frothing
Do people have e a problem with turning the heat down so that the water is simmering? Pasta doesn't tend to boil over any more than any other food stuff.
Years ago some Italian colleagues were doing an Italian evening at work and drove miles to find pasta made from Semolina flour. Nothing else would do according to them. The food was sensational.
We've got Sardinian friends who invited us over to their house for a meal when we were in Cagliari a few years ago. Basic dried pasta, with basic shop bought sauces. It was nice enough, but I can make better pasta dishes and I'm Welsh! 😀 The highlight was when Frederica asked if we wanted dessert and started telling us about the classic Italian dessert that she'd got for us. And then produced an actual Vienetta, to much amusement from me and my family. We didn't tell her that they cost £1 in Iceland!
Hmmm… not sure my saucepanfull of pasta will fit into the pesto jar?!
Put the pesto into another pan first then
...
to cook pasta properly in an Italian place in NY they would boil it in water until it had only softened slightly and then add it to the sauce to finish cooking it.
Put the pesto into another pan first then
The pasta onto sauce or sauce onto pasta is slightly besides the point I think. The key thing here is that the two are mixed together before going onto the plate/dish. This is about avoidance of the cardinal sin of UK 70-80's style "plate of spaghetti with a heap of meat sitting on top".
Cook at a rolling boil for 1 minute, remove from heat give it a quick stir, place a tea towel under lid (to seal), and let it rest for the amount of time suggested on the packet (minus 1 minute). Perfect pasta every time and no frothing/boiling over water or any need for oil.
Never heard this one before. It's almost as if someone has the basics of perfect rice cooking down and is trying to apply a similar technique to pasta! The "lots of water" part of the Italian golden rules of lots of water, lots of salt, is there so that your pasta has lots of room to move around freely while boiling to avoid clagging together. Taking off the heat so the pasta is not moving around seems distinctly sub-optimal.
Taking off the heat so the pasta is not moving around seems distinctly sub-optimal.
Agreed. (And it most definitely won't work for gluten free pasta.) What exactly is the tea towel sealing? Are we expecting the cooling water to escape? Will the pasta escape? It reads to me just like a Viz Top Tip from years ago - stop your bread from drying out by putting it in a bucket of water.
Putting oil in when boiling pasta is utterly pointless. No Italian does this. Its a myth. Anyone claiming that it achieves anything is wrong and deluded.
In general the British attempt at Italian cooking is a thinly veiled insult to Italian food - some of the hideous creations out there like the much bastardised 'spag bol' make most Italians want to vomit. Wrong ingredient's and wrong cooking method results in nothing like its supposed to be. Same goes for Pizza, from everything from the base to the tomato sauce - 99% the British get it so wrong its painful.
99% the British get it so wrong its painful.
Not really, if we like the stuff we make. We mainly aren't making it for Italians to eat so who cares what they think. Do we criticise the way they make chips? 😀
This is about avoidance of the cardinal sin of UK 70-80’s style “plate of spaghetti with a heap of meat sitting on top”.
Is that a wholly UK thing? I didn't know that.
I mix sauce and pasta before serving because doing it that ☝ way always seemed to result in the pasta sitting in an orange puddle on the plate.
99% the British get it so wrong its painful.
As Jon says, does it matter? As DIY cooks - and let's not kid ourselves, if we've progressed beyond a jar of Dolmio then we're already ahead of the curve compared to most tired mums and dads just trying to get something filling onto a plate at the end of a workday - are we striving to make something correct and authentic, or tasty and enjoyable?
British cuisine, like pretty much everything else we do, is a bastardised mongrel fusion of other cultures that we've made our own. Discussions like this are really interesting, I would love to be able to make an authentic Italian pizza or a Bangladeshi curry, but then I'd use that as a starting point to concoct something we preferred more.
Do we criticise the way they make chips?
Probably.