Pasta, the Italian dish, has captured the imagination of Indians in a big way. Most fast food joints serve Pasta according to ‘our’ taste. While most of us can distinguish between the types of Pastas - like the penne, spaghetti, macaroni, fusilli or farfalle, we know little about the sauces used to cook the above varieties of Pasta. Most of these sauces contain tomatoes, and the cooking process increases the antioxidant activity in the tomatoes, thereby providing many health benefits. Cooked tomatoes are low in calories and fat and supply a good deal of protein and fibre. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C, and cooking doesn't destroy this important nutrient. One cup serving of cooked tomatoes provides 1.05 milligrams of iron, which is about 10 percent of what men (and 5% of what women) need on a daily basis. Iron supports our immunity and aids in the formation of red blood cells. The same serving contains small amounts of calcium (for strong bones), potassium (for a healthy heart) and Vitamin A (for the proper functioning of our eyes). Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant that can increase immunity; and cooking helps release more of the lycopene. The only drawback is that cooked and preserved sauces contain high levels of sodium, which can be harmful. Thicker Pasta shapes like penne go well with thick sauces, while fine Pasta shapes like spaghetti require a delicate sauce.
Here is the Sauce franchise:
Arrabbiata
Arrabbiata means angry in Italian. The name is apt, given that this sauce has a fiery strong flavour of chilli peppers. The pungent flavour comes from garlic, chilli, tomatoes and herbs. This is the most common sauce used for cooking Penne Pasta. This sauce can also be used to accentuate the flavour of meats, poultry, seafood and food similar to pizzas.
Pesto
Traditionally, Pesto is made by grinding it in a mortar and pestle. Pesto, which originated in Genoa (Italy), comes from the Italian word pestare, which means ‘to pound’ or ‘to bruise’. Typically, Pesto is made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt. You can mix the ingredients in a food processor, stir gently and add olive oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency.
Season the mix to taste and then add most of the remaining cheese.
Bolognese
This meat-based sauce originated in Northern Italy in a place called Bologna. This sauce is used for classic Pasta, like penne and lasagna. It can also be used with other broad, flat Pasta shapes like fettuccine or penne. Bolognese Sauce contains onion, celery, carrot, different types of minced meat and wine, on a base of cooked tomatoes.
Neapolitan
This sauce is also known as Napoli sauce, and the base ingredients are tomatoes and garlic. The rest of the ingredients include basil thyme, oregano, peppercorns and mushrooms. Even though the basic sauce is vegetarian, sometimes meat - such as ground beef or sausage - can be added. Italians refer to Neapolitan sauce only in association with other recipes. Neapolitan is now widely used in Continental dishes.
Alfredo
Alfredo sauce hails from 1920s Rome, where it was created by restaurateur Alfredo di Lello. He created a dish called ‘Fettuccine Alfredo’, which combined hot fettuccine Pasta with a sauce made from butter, cream, Parmesan cheese and pepper. While Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic dish, the sauce has become a favourite way to add richness to casseroles, baked veggies and pizzas. Alfredo sauce is often sold in bottles in many grocery stores these days. Unlike the original preparation, which is thickened by cheese, these commercial versions are often thickened with corn flour.
Read More...