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The Different Pastas in Italian Food

There are two main categories of pasta used in Italian food, dried pasta and fresh pasta. Right now there are over 350 different shapes and varieties of dried pasta being used in Italian food. Some varieties are common and others are specific to a certain regional area. The shapes used in Italian food can range from the classic tubes and strands to butterflies or bowties and even unique shapes such as tennis rackets. Italian food is taken very seriously in Italy and by law all dried pasta is required to be made with pure durum semolina flour and water. This standard is adhered to by most pasta makers all over the world and only this type of dried pasta is used in good quality Italian food.

The reason that Italian food in Italy tastes different than the Americanized Italian food is because pasta makers in Italy take more care in making quality pasta. Dried pasta is meant to hold onto the sauce with which it is being served. After all, Italian food wouldn’t be Italian without the sauce. The pasta is made with ridges or into complex shapes in order to grab onto the sauce. These ridges are formed during a process known as extrusion. This is the step in pasta making where the pasta is forced out of a copper mold and then cut into the desired length before being dried. The copper molds are the key. They are expensive and likely to wear, but they make the best pasta. Unfortunately, most of the pasta used in American Italian food is made with steel molds that make the pasta too slick to hold onto the sauce. However, more and more pasta makers outside of Italy are beginning to use the copper molds in an effort to make better quality Italian food. The drying process also greatly affects the quality of the pasta and the resulting Italian food.

Pasta should be dried for a specific amount of time in a specific temperature depending on the variety. Pasta made in Italy is allowed to dry for long periods of time, up to fifty hours, and at relatively low temperatures. Companies outside of Italy typically dry their pasta at high temperatures in order to get it dried quicker. This method comes at a price and diminishes the quality of the pasta and the resulting Italian food.

The other form of pasta used in Italian food is fresh pasta. All pasta actually starts out as fresh pasta but certain pasta recipes require that the pasta be eaten fresh and soft, not dried. Fresh pasta is often made with slightly different ingredients than dried pasta. In the northern parts of Italy fresh pasta is most often made with all-purpose flour and eggs. However, the southern parts of Italy make their fresh pasta with semolina and water. It should be noted that different recipes can call for different variations. These different recipes give a distinct flavor to the Italian food of different regions. Some types of pasta are meant just to be eaten fresh, while others are meant to be dried. There are also some types of pasta that can be fresh or dried; it depends on what Italian food dish is being prepared.

When a variation of pasta can be either dried or fresh it is sometimes argued that the fresh style is best. Making fresh pasta is a point of pride for many Italian households and is reflected in the quality of the Italian food that they prepare.

Spaghetti Etiquette in Italian Food

The most popular and widely recognized Italian food today is spaghetti. However, it seems that no other Italian food has caused such consternation in figuring out the polite way to eat it. It has become so bad that when taking a date to eat Italian food, both parties will avoid the spaghetti in order avoid making a mess or looking less than attractive while eating it. Spaghetti is a delicious Italian food and there doesn’t need to be all this stress associated with eating it in public. Forget what you’ve been told what follows is how you eat spaghetti.

First off, if you are fortunate to be eating at an Italian food restaurant or Italian home that is actually in Italy, then you need to keep your hands on the table. Now when I say hands, I mean hands, still no elbows. Also, be sure to wait until everyone is served before you start to eat. The most often repeated Italian food advice given is to use a spoon to aid in eating spaghetti. Unfortunately this is also the most widely spread Italian food myth. Whatever you do, don’t use a spoon. It is considered very bad form. Just use your fork, I’ll explain how to do it and keep your Italian food on your fork and not on the table or your shirt. Another oft repeated word of advice is to simply cut the spaghetti noodles shorter. Again, this is erroneous. Spaghetti is about ten inches long and is the right length, you should never cut it. It’s also important not to slurp the spaghetti.

Any sounds you make while eating are considered rude. Italian food is known for its wonderful sauces, be careful not to splatter them all over the table and your clothes. On this note, don’t ever wear a napkin like a bib; it is very tacky and inappropriate. While spaghetti might be your favorite Italian food, it is not a dish that should be served for large or formal parties, largely because of the issues that cause an article of this nature to be written. Choose instead to serve an Italian food comprised of short pasta that is easier to serve and eat.

Now it is time to teach you the proper technique to use when eating that ever popular Italian food, spaghetti. Spaghetti is served in a bowl with a rim. You want to push the spaghetti to the center of the bowl, making room at the front. Now take a little bit of the spaghetti with your fork and push it to the front of the bowl. Now hold your fork vertically with the prongs against the rim and turn the fork clockwise in order to wrap the noodles around the fork. Then lift your fork and examine the length of the noodles hanging to see if it’s a good idea to proceed with putting it in your mouth. It is always best to err on the side of caution and put too little rather than too much spaghetti on your fork.

If you need to, lower the fork back down and take a smaller bunch of noodles and twirl them again. Better to take a little time than to end up with Italian food all over the place. Following these tips will ensure that you impress your friends at an Italian food restaurant and get invited back to eat Italian food at a family’s home.

Risotto and the Veneto Region Italian Food

With so many different Italian food dishes it is hard to pick a favorite. However, for those who like risotto, Veneto is the region for you! Italian food varies greatly by region with each area presenting their own unique dishes and flavors. One of the most recognized Italian food dishes is Risotto and because of that Veneto is a must stop region for those travelers in Italy wanting to taste some excellent Italian food.

Risotto is most simply a rice dish cooked very precisely. It is one of the most commonly ordered appetizers at Italian food restaurants. Yet for its amazing popularity, it is also one of the most common Italian food dishes to be botched. The key to a good risotto is to first cook the rice briefly in olive oil or butter. It should be cooked until it is evenly coated and begins to turn translucent. After that, broth is added to the rice slowly, one spoonful at a time. The most defining quality of a risotto is that the rice is toasted. If the rice isn’t toasted than it’s not a risotto, no matter how fine the Italian food restaurant is that you’re in.

There are many different variations on risotto because it can be made and served with so many different Italian food favorites. In Veneto the ingredients added to the risotto are determined by location. For instance, in areas closer to the coast it will be made with fish and other seafood. As you move in from the coast you will see risotto made with different vegetables like pumpkin, asparagus, and radicchio. It is also commonly seen made with frogs’ legs which appear in Italian food more than most people think.

The Veneto region is also home to some unique foods. The dishes here are heavier and rely on exotic spices and sauces. One unique dish that originated here and is quickly gaining popularity as an Italian food dish is pasta and beans. Beans are used in many dishes here due to their ready availability. This is also an area of Italy where anchovies and stockfish are used extensively in Italian food. However, fish is not the dish of choice here, being beaten out by meats and sausages. A favorite meat is sopressata which is a dry-cured salami. It gets its name from the fact that while drying it is often pressed with a weight and comes out looking flat. It is most often made with pork, but sometimes beef is used. Another favorite Italian food meat is garlic salami. The Italian food here is also reliant on some of the prized vegetables of the area. Veneto is especially known for their high quality red radicchio and their asparagus. One last dish that is unique to the area is a rice dish with young peas.

The Italian food of Veneto clearly breaks the mold. It is full of diversity from dishes made wholly with vegetables and rice, to some of the most famous sausages in the world. If a night of Italian food for you must include risotto, than Veneto is the place to be. If you consider yourself a sausage connoisseur than the Italian food of Veneto will again be a must taste for you. The region truly offers something for everyone!

Regional Italian Food

When most people think of Italian food they think of dishes of spaghetti, lasagna, minestrone, and tortellini. This is a very general view of Italian food and if you were to travel to Italy you would be very shocked by the Italian food that they eat. The main reason for this is that there are over nineteen regions in Italy, all serving up their own variation on Italian food. Furthermore, Italian food is very seasonal and depends on the freshest ingredients, so the cuisine in summer will be very different than the winter cuisine.

The Italian food that most Americans are familiar with comes from the northern parts of Italy. This is where the rich dishes full of cheese and heavy on the sauce come from. The meats that are most commonly used here are beef and pork. If you love the Italian food that you can find in America, than the northern region of Italy is the place for you. This food will be most familiar, but it will still offer an exciting change from the Italian food found in the United States. Also, don’t let the stereotypical view of Italian food just being spaghetti and meatballs slow you down. In fact, very few people in Italy actually eat spaghetti and meatballs. The Italian food that is actually found in Italy is much more complex and diverse and will rely on more spices than just garlic.

As you move further south in Italy you will find that the cuisine changes. In the south there is more fish used. Often this brand of Italian food is called Mediterranean food. The dishes here are much lighter and are healthier in general. The people in the southern half of Italy are amongst the healthiest in the world and it is due in great part to the types of Italian food that they eat. One of the reasons this Italian food is so healthy is because they use olive oil to cook most of their food in.

One of the great misconceptions about Italian food is that it uses too many spices in overwhelming quantities. This misconception probably arises out the importation of Italian food to America where it is often cooked by people who have never been to Italy, much less eaten authentic Italian food. While spices are used in Italian food, they are meant to be an accent to the natural flavor of the dish. The fact that Italian food is seasonal makes it less likely to rely on heavy spices since there is a strong fresh flavor about the meats, sauces, and pastas. However, travelers will find that the food in the northern regions of Italy do use a little more spice in their Italian food than the southern regions.

So, when thinking of Italian food it is important to remember that there is no national standard of the cuisine. With nineteen regions there is a vast diversity in dishes. Each region boasts their own unique take on Italian food, showcasing their native crops and livestock. However, all throughout the country travelers will taste that certain something; will feel that comforting familiarity; that makes Italian food one of the most popular cuisines in the world.

Popular Italian Food Restaurants

Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. It has long been an American favorite and there are countless Italian food restaurants throughout the United States. While Italian food was first brought to this country by immigrants and ma and pop shops, like everything else in this country Italian food franchises are quickly defining this country’s perception of Italian food.

Probably the first and most well known of these franchises is the Olive Garden. The Italian food served here is heavy on spices and thick, creamy sauces. The salad is dressed with Italian dressing and served with breadsticks. Popular dishes include ravioli, lasagna, and minestrone. While this restaurant has done a great job of introducing people to the concept of Italian food, the food served here is a far cry from the real thing. The salad dressing and breadsticks served here would never be found in Italy. Since the menu is the same year round fresh ingredients are not a priority and hence the dishes are heavily seasoned to hide the fact that the underlying ingredients hold little flavor. Sadly, many people’s views of Italian food and the stereotypes surrounding this cuisine are only furthered by this Italian food restaurant.

However, there are other large chain Italian food restaurants. Places like Macaroni Grill, Carino’s, Buca di Beppo, and Carrabba’s give a much better Italian food experience. While the Italian food served at these places certainly doesn’t live up to the high standard of Italian food set by those who originated it, the food is still quite good. The ingredients at these restaurants are of a higher quality and the dishes are closer to an authentic flavor. Carino’s is a great restaurant to go to for a casual meal. Macaroni Grill and Carrabba’s are a little nicer and are great restaurants for an Italian food date.

These restaurants don’t rely on pastas with overly seasoned heavy sauces to convince you that you’re eating Italian food. They use a wider variety of ingredients that are more true to the spirit of Italian food. Buca di Beppo is a great family Italian food restaurant. The dcor is that of an Italian home and the meals are served family style. It is recommended that you find some friends or family that enjoy Italian food to share with because the portions are quite large.

While Italian food chains are certainly not the best way to experience Italian food, they have come a long way and more and more restaurants are raising the standard to bring good quality Italian food to the general public that can’t afford a plane ticket to Italy. More chefs are venturing out and trying new things with Italian food and the results are absolutely mouth watering. Italian food will always be popular in the United States. Just realize that when eating out at franchise restaurants you will never be able to replicate the flavor and quality of authentic Italian food made by Italians using recipes that have been passed down through the generations.