Pasta survey

Mii · Oct 29, 2020

Well...Call this instant gratification but I just made pasta for perhaps the second or third time. I recall making it at least once before because who wouldn't at least try that if they like pasta?

The first time my noodles got waterlogged and just tasted like pasta-ish cylinders full of water about 8 years ago.

Fast forward to today. I read a few websites on how to do dis and even went on Quora to figure out how long to boil it for reading other people's opinions and STILL my pasta ended up barely palatable.

When my mother makes it (usually) it's great. Something I can eat without any sauce and just a little bit of butter and some parmesan and it's tasty but just feels like a lot of empty carbs.

I'll probably petition her to make me some and "data mine" her for how to do it myself but I'd like to hear from you all.

I'm not talking about the dish itself (tomato sauce, alfredo, meat etc.) just the noodles.

I suppose I could try an experiment twice a week noting down what portions I use and that may work but shortcuts are nice

P.S I did salt the water with a few shakes of some himalayan salt. Brought it to a boil and then added the spaghetti and stirred every two minutes and it was probably on the stove for 7-8 mins. Still watery...

Magenta · Oct 29, 2020

My daughter is always telling me to stop eating pasta because it is so carb rich, but that is not going to happen

Pasta is one of my favorite foods, and more of a staple for me than rice or potatoes, though I do like both of those as well

And I love rice noodles, too

A few shakes of salt may not be enough. Are you using a durham wheat semolina pasta? I have tried other types, and found them unsatisfactory, especially in their ability to hold together during the required cooking time. 7-8 minutes cooking seems short to me

Of course sometimes after putting the pasta in the water, and reducing the heat so the noodles don't stick to the bottom of the pot (though some inevitably do regardless), it can take a while for the water to come back to a boil (and sometimes it never actually does, but the pasta cooks still the same). This does not bother me even if the cooking time is lengthened, and I prefer to cook as much starch out as possible. Many say to serve pasta el dente, which means chewy and firm, but I tend to cook it just beyond that, and I would never call my pasta "watery," so I wonder what it is that is causing your pasta to turn out unsatisfactorily.

I used to like buying all different shapes of pasta and mixing them together, using pasta with vegetable colorings as well, to add an element of visual variety. This does not matter so much to me any more LOL, as I go for a brand I trust that is also economical. Plain pasta is a rarity for me, meaning, I always add other things, sometimes mayo and guacamole, or a bit of olive oil and cheese, or tuna, or a combination of all those, plus black pepper, garlic powder, basil, Italian seasonings etc, if I am not making a tomato sauce, which I may also add some type of meat to, as well as more seasoning

More recently I have been tossing frozen vegetables into the pasta toward the end if its cooking, either broccoli or squash, to increase the nutritional value of the meal

A couple of times recently I cooked a full 500 mg package of linguine, which I had to break in half before putting into the water so it would properly fit into the pot and cook evenly. While that was cooking I simmered a large (796 ml) tin of crushed tomatoes in my frying pan, with my added seasonings, and baked mini meatballs in the oven while all that was going on

Once I drained the cooked pasta and combined it with the tomato sauce and meatballs, I also added cubed cheese

Oh my goodness, it was delicious! I wish you better luck with your pasta cooking adventures!

oldethennew · Oct 29, 2020

Hello 'pasta Sisters'!
oh how I love my pasta's!!! -
plain-slightly dressed-over the top with heels, etc.,
i'll eat it, morning-noon-or night, IF I get a hankerin', and
sometimes with just a good fruit oil or even 'cold', same
with taters or rices, hot or cold!
do you think I need therapy???

and I'm still a '6', at '73'...go figure

our favorites are organic,whole-grain - some of our local stores
carry several varieties, such as spinach, turmeric, black bean, caul, etc.,
and they are very affordable and often go on sale or BOGO...

I've never tried to make my own, but would love to some day -
hub has told me that his Mother made her own pastas and that
they were amazing' - she was born in 1905 and birthed him at
43 and 1/2 years old - he had sisters in their 20's when he was born
and a niece that was several days older than himself, imagine that!!!
'rolling eyes' for the prudes and hanger ups'...

there is always a way to eat healthy, poor or rich, or in-between -
please Brothers and Sisters, make it a priority for your sacred temples...

Mii · Oct 29, 2020

Magenta said:

Yeah I'm not sure how that could not be good.

I used Gluten free spaghetti because that was what was in the cupboard. I didn't buy it and wouldn't buy anything gluten free unless they didn't have anything else (I'd store hop).

Ironically, when I got the water ready and took a closer look I felt disappointed by that and it reminded me of the time I bought "corn" thinking to eat a little healthier than potatoes and it turns out it was hominy. Twas super gross.

So maybe that's why it taste so blech but I also don't know.

All that's left here is angel hair and I didn't ever like how skinny it was (Kind of like steak n shake fries if you've had them).

Oh, I have not ever heard of tuna on noodles. Fresh tuna?

Mii · Oct 29, 2020

oldethennew said:

Cold potatoes?!? I guess I could eat "cool" rice or taters but refrigerated? Ach. Maybe mixed with some sour cream and some cheese I could blend it and make a Po-smoothie? I digress...

oldethennew said:

Yes most certainly. When we feel a craving for something we know is bad for us the discipline to just hit that in-between "middle" health food is a better start than doing nothing about one's health. Then as that discipline builds up (mine isn't quite there) it seems to be easier to eat less "traditionally" tasty healthy foods

soggykitten · Oct 29, 2020

Mii said:

Add a little olive oil to your water to stop pasta from sticking together. My favorite pasta is angel hair. Goes great with any meal.
God bless Betty Crocker. Growing up mom had her cookbook and that helped me learn how to cook. Maybe this will help you.

Timetable for Cooking (Dried) Pasta
Cooking fresh pasta is pretty much the same but fresh pasta cooks more quickly than the dried store bought. Link

Mii · Oct 29, 2020

soggykitten said:

I did it for 7-8 though!!! Argh. Could it be that one minute is really that important? Maybe. It's true that when I follow recipes exactly it works out better but there's a lot of conflicting opinions on pasta lol. I'll try again tonight and post back. I also eyeballed the portion thinking it'd be plenty and it wasn't even a bowl full after everything was done so at least I won't feel "over starched" by eating it again tonight. I'll try 9 mins.

oldethennew · Oct 29, 2020

Mii,
please don't stress over this tell;
but in many of my younger years, I often went hungry,
and not because of being poor -
hence, I have a great respect for food, in all stages -
the old-world taught me many hard lessons while I lived in/for it,
but NOW, I cannot even begin to compare the many gifts/fruits that
our Saviour has blessed me/us with, unto this very moment...
'Great peace have they that Love Thy Law, and nothing shall offend them'...

Magenta · Oct 29, 2020

Mii said:

Many years ago I did once try a corn pasta, but it was a disaster, turning to complete mush. The problem may indeed have been a lack of gluten

It is always so disappointing to try something new and not have it turn out, but lesson learned, right?

No, not fresh tuna, but tinned, flaked or solid (solid I would cut up/break down), and added to the drained pasta with mayo, guacamole, seasoning (garlic, black pepper, maybe some Mrs Dash) and maybe even a little cheese, which always melts if you add it soon enough after draining the pasta, while it is still steaming hot

You could add sauteed or raw chopped onions and celery to this, and yellow, orange, or red pepper (given in order of my preference, never green) pepper, and then it is like a pasta salad, refreshing, nutritious, and tasty. I have even added chopped up pear to a salad like this (probably without the tuna), and it may surprise you to know that such a combination is quite yummy

I am not one who follows recipes strictly, or even at all at times LOL. Combining things you like with other things you like often works well as long as the consistency of ingredients meld well together. By that I mean, for instance, mixing something like kidney beans with pasta, as the mealy texture of the beans does not mix well with the smooth texture of pasta and other vegs.

soggykitten · Oct 29, 2020

oldethennew said:

A great wisdom that I follow as a member of online forums.

calibob · Oct 31, 2020

Mii said:

Well...Call this instant gratification but I just made pasta for perhaps the second or third time. I recall making it at least once before because who wouldn't at least try that if they like pasta?

The first time my noodles got waterlogged and just tasted like pasta-ish cylinders full of water about 8 years ago.

Fast forward to today. I read a few websites on how to do dis and even went on Quora to figure out how long to boil it for reading other people's opinions and STILL my pasta ended up barely palatable.

When my mother makes it (usually) it's great. Something I can eat without any sauce and just a little bit of butter and some parmesan and it's tasty but just feels like a lot of empty carbs.

I'll probably petition her to make me some and "data mine" her for how to do it myself but I'd like to hear from you all.

I'm not talking about the dish itself (tomato sauce, alfredo, meat etc.) just the noodles.

I suppose I could try an experiment twice a week noting down what portions I use and that may work but shortcuts are nice

P.S I did salt the water with a few shakes of some himalayan salt. Brought it to a boil and then added the spaghetti and stirred every two minutes and it was probably on the stove for 7-8 mins. Still watery...

My Moms family came from Dalmatia and a holiday favorite was baked mostaccioli. It's the #1 holiday favorite.

calibob · Nov 1, 2020

calibob said:

When in doubt, add more garlic!

Mii · Nov 1, 2020

That looks amazing @calibob

My brother occasionally is adventurous with cooking. He pioneered some baked Ziti that's not bad so I'll see if he'll give this a shot if I remember on Thanksgiving

calibob · Nov 1, 2020

Mii said:

Baked ziti is nearly the same thing with slightly different shaped pasta. Slav's use much less tomato sauce than Italian's. That's the biggest difference.

Mii · Nov 1, 2020

calibob said:

Well, I'll try it out I think. The Ziti he made one time was excellent, but the other times it was just "pasta and cheese" pretty much. I feel like cheese should only enhance flavor and you shouldn't taste it by itself in a "good" dish but perhaps there are tiny variables that changed when he made it each time.

calibob · Nov 3, 2020

Mii said:

Use better leaner meat than hamburger. Olive oil helps, rather than meat fat. And Slavs aren't shy of garlic, sage or onion. (If you're not a 'prohibitionist') Just plain old Italian red table wine is close to tradition. Yago, (A Greek style sangria) would be good too It's fruity (but kinda sweet.)

calibob · Nov 3, 2020

Mii said:

Use better leaner meat than hamburger. Olive oil helps, rather than meat fat. And Slavs aren't shy of garlic, sage or onion. (If you're not a 'prohibitionist') Just plain old Italian red table wine is close to tradition. (Yago, Greek style sangria) would be good too It's fruity but kinda sweet.)

Here's a Mostaccioli recipe that's pretty good:

2 1/2 pounds pot roast (round bone, 7-bone or rump roast)
6 cloves garlic, 1 thinly sliced and 5 pressed or minced
2 strips lean bacon, 1 strip cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 strip minced
1 1/2 pounds spareribs, cut in 6 pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
1 broth can water
3 onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef, ground twice
1 teaspoon MSG, optional
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Large handful parsley, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup wine (half Marsala and half white wine)
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 pounds mostaccioli
* Make slits in pot roast using paring knife. Wrap garlic slices in 1/2-inch bacon pieces and insert in pot roast. Season roast and spareribs with salt and black pepper to taste.
* Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and brown meats, about 15 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add broth and water to pan drippings. Heat slowly, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen brown bits.
* In large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat remaining olive oil and minced bacon over medium heat. Add onions and saut'e until golden brown. Add ground beef, breaking up clumps of meat. Add 2 teaspoons salt, MSG if using, allspice, white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until ground beef is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add pot roast and spareribs to onion mixture. Add parsley and pressed garlic and stir to mix evenly. Add flour, stirring constantly until absorbed. Pour wine over meat in pot and stir until evaporated. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce. Pour broth, water and pan drippings over meat mixture. Simmer on medium low heat, covered, until pot roast and spareribs are tender, about 1 hour. Stir often.
* Cook mostaccioli in large pot of salted water until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
* Slice pot roast and arrange on platter with ribs. Add mostaccioli to sauce and mix. Cover meat with sauce and serve.
12 servings. Each serving: 669 calories; 447 mg sodium; 109 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 45 grams protein; 0.73 gram fiber.

(co: L. A. times &) Ante’s Restaurant, 729 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro.

It's quite a big deal and holiday meal . My families favorite Christmas and Easter special.
From; Ante's in San Pedro, Ca.(The #1 Yugoslav resterant in L. A., bar none!)

Godsgirl83 · Nov 3, 2020

I find that sometimes I have to cook pasta longer than the box says in order to reach the desired results. Also, if baking the pasta (such as in mostaccolli) I find it better to slighty undercook the noodles because they will continue to cook in the oven with the sauce and cheese.
Oh, and sometimes the length of time you allow them to drain can affect the outcome.
Shake them around a little in the collender after they look draind just to make sure all the liquid has drained out, sometimes I run cool water over them so they are at a tempeture I can touch with bare hands to shake around and make sure liquid has draind out of the cylinder noodles, and also try with spagehtti noodles because sometimes liquid can get caught up in the piles and when you go to put back in the pot you end up with to much water that snuck back in........

mmmmmm my daughter has been asking for tortellini, now after all this pasta talk, that sounds good for dinner

Mii · Nov 3, 2020

calibob said:

Use better leaner meat than hamburger. Olive oil helps, rather than meat fat. And Slavs aren't shy of garlic, sage or onion. (If you're not a 'prohibitionist') Just plain old Italian red table wine is close to tradition. (Yago, Greek style sangria) would be good too It's fruity but kinda sweet.)

Here's a Mostaccioli recipe that's pretty good:

2 1/2 pounds pot roast (round bone, 7-bone or rump roast)
6 cloves garlic, 1 thinly sliced and 5 pressed or minced
2 strips lean bacon, 1 strip cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 strip minced
1 1/2 pounds spareribs, cut in 6 pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
1 broth can water
3 onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef, ground twice
1 teaspoon MSG, optional
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Large handful parsley, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup wine (half Marsala and half white wine)
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 pounds mostaccioli
* Make slits in pot roast using paring knife. Wrap garlic slices in 1/2-inch bacon pieces and insert in pot roast. Season roast and spareribs with salt and black pepper to taste.
* Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and brown meats, about 15 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add broth and water to pan drippings. Heat slowly, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen brown bits.
* In large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat remaining olive oil and minced bacon over medium heat. Add onions and saut'e until golden brown. Add ground beef, breaking up clumps of meat. Add 2 teaspoons salt, MSG if using, allspice, white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until ground beef is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add pot roast and spareribs to onion mixture. Add parsley and pressed garlic and stir to mix evenly. Add flour, stirring constantly until absorbed. Pour wine over meat in pot and stir until evaporated. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce. Pour broth, water and pan drippings over meat mixture. Simmer on medium low heat, covered, until pot roast and spareribs are tender, about 1 hour. Stir often.
* Cook mostaccioli in large pot of salted water until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
* Slice pot roast and arrange on platter with ribs. Add mostaccioli to sauce and mix. Cover meat with sauce and serve.
12 servings. Each serving: 669 calories; 447 mg sodium; 109 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 45 grams protein; 0.73 gram fiber.

(co: L. A. times &) Ante’s Restaurant, 729 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro.

It's quite a big deal and holiday meal . My families favorite Christmas and Easter special.
From; Ante's in San Pedro, Ca.(The #1 Yugoslav resterant in L. A., bar none!)

That is probably too ambitious for my ability. Particular with that much meat. I have hamburger but no bacon or ribs (which I don't ever buy because it's hard for me to eat). But I'll see if I can enlist a helper and make a worthy dish

Mii · Nov 5, 2020

Thread update. New noodles have been purchased.

I am going to attempt plain ole fettuccine alfredo and we shall see if what happens. Might not be til monday but if that works out, I may try something a bit more adventurous

I recall it being sooo tasty as a child and the one time I made it, it was gross...but I just feel I need to press onward into passable pasta proficiency!

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