2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Pasta made from durum wheat became famous in the world thanks to the Italians. True, there is an opinion that they were not invented on the Apennine Peninsula, but in distant China, and came to Europe thanks to the traveler Marco Polo. One way or another, the benefits of this product have been appreciated: currently, the average Italian consumes about 26 kg of pasta per year. The achievements of the Russians are much more modest. What explains this? First of all, the fact that in our country this product needs rehabilitation. Back in Soviet times, pasta became a symbol of crisis and was associated with poverty. They were cheap and could be stored for a long time, so they were stocked up in advance. Such pasta was prepared, as a rule, without any frills. And, alas, they really contributed to fullness, as they were made from low-quality flour.
Characteristics of raw materials
In ourOver time, this product is gradually being rehabilitated, mainly due to the fashion for Italian cuisine. It has already been proven that durum wheat pasta, when properly prepared, does not harm the figure. Moreover, they are even used in diet food. But what is meant by hard varieties?
The fact is that the widespread agricultural crop - wheat - is divided into soft and hard. The latter in our country is grown in the Orenburg and Saratov regions, as well as in Altai. Only such wheat is suitable for making pasta flour, as it contains a high percentage of gluten and nutrients. The starch, which is part of its composition, is distinguished by a crystalline structure that is not destroyed either during grinding or during the cooking process. Pasta made from durum wheat is an easily digestible food product and provides the human body with energy for a long time.
What is the difficulty of "rehabilitating" pasta in Russia?
As already mentioned, in our country, durum wheat pasta is produced in very small quantities. This is explained by the fact that the cost of raw materials is unreasonably high, and the purchase prices for grain do not suit farmers. In addition, durum wheat requires special climatic conditions, and its processing is complex and time-consuming. That is why the quality pasta sold in domestic stores is mainly of foreign origin and is not as cheap as we would like it to be.would. But still, they should be given preference, if only because they do not boil soft and have a taste that Russian counterparts cannot boast of.
Informed Choice
In order not to waste money, you need to have an idea of what is the difference between durum wheat pasta and lesser quality products. First, a good product is never sold by weight. Look for packs with a transparent "window". Secondly, keep in mind that proper pasta is made with premium flour and water. To create colored products, natural dyes are used (for example, beetroot juice). The presence of other ingredients is undesirable. The packaging must indicate that the products are made from wheat flour of “group A” or belong to “1 class”. The following inscriptions are also a good sign: “durum” (durum), “semolina di grano duro”. And finally, a good recommendation would be the manufacturer's assurance that the pasta is "made exclusively from durum wheat." Products of group B (from soft wheat) and C (from baking flour) should be avoided: they are useless.
Determining quality by appearance
Whatever is written on the packaging, before buying pasta from durum wheat, you should evaluate them "by eye". Truly high-quality products are very elastic: they bend easily, but breaking them is not so easy. Make sure that there are no crumbled pasta in the bag (box): fragility indicates low-grade raw materials. Products, outsidedepending on their shape, should be smooth and even. Their color can vary from cream to amber yellow. If the pasta is very light or dirty gray, it probably used soft flour or even regular bread flour. Too saturated yellow color of products gives out the use of dye. Colored paste is popular abroad: it is often bought for children. But such products are prepared using natural coloring agents: spinach, beetroot or carrot juice, turmeric. Of course, all these additives are necessarily listed on the packaging in the "Composition" section. As for the “suspicious” inclusions, there is no need to be afraid of dark dots on the pasta: these are just the remains of the grain shell. But the presence of whites indicates that at the first stage of preparation of the product the dough was poorly mixed.
Species diversity
Italians distinguish a huge number of varieties of pasta. They are usually classified according to their shape. Without going into details, consider some of the most popular types of pasta. Durum wheat pasta is long (spaghetti, bucattini, fettuccine, tagliatelle), short (feathers, noodles, horns), curly (stars, farfalle, shells). Soup products are also distinguished. They, as a rule, have the form of wheels, rings, rice grains and have the ability not to boil soft for a long time, despite their small size. Good soup pasta doesn't stick together or cloud the broth. And finally worthmention products for stuffing or baking. These are cannelloni (large-diameter tubules), giant shells and lasagna sheets. Such pasta is not pre-boiled: they soften directly in the oven, soaking in the juice of the filling. All of the above products differ from each other only in form, but not in content.
Durum Wheat Pasta: Benefits and Eating Tips
Bodybuilders and cyclists will attest that a properly prepared pasta helps to restore the body's energy reserves and (if desired) increase muscle size. As you know, pasta consists mainly of "slow" carbohydrates, which are absorbed by a person gradually and provide a pleasant feeling of satiety. Therefore, they can also be used for weight loss (in this case, a specific diet is combined with physical activity). Bodybuilders consume pasta during the mass gain phase (muscle, of course), and cyclists, runners and skiers must attend pasta parties after competitions to replenish energy reserves. Nutritionists recommend eating carbohydrate-rich meals in the morning.
Durum wheat pasta: calories (calories, proteins, carbohydrates, fats)
High quality pasta contains about 70% carbohydrates and more than 11% vegetable proteins, as well as some moisture and nosmall percentage of fat. The more protein, the better (12-15% is optimal, 10% is too little). Dry pasta is quite high in calories (up to 350 kcal per 100 g of product), the nutritional value of boiled pasta is much lower (up to 125 kcal/100g).
Worth mentioning that pasta's previously described he alth benefits are due to its low glycemic index. But if they are cooked too long, the starch crystal structure will begin to break down and the GI will rise. This will lead to an increase in blood sugar, which is undesirable. Moreover, overcooked pasta contributes to obesity.
Note that durum wheat pasta has a limited shelf life. Products without additives should be consumed within two years, and colored products within a year. The fact that the pasta has gone bad is evidenced by their bitter taste.
Cooking Features
And finally - the simplest recipe. Boiled pasta from durum wheat is prepared as follows: add a little s alt and a spoonful of olive oil to boiling water (at the rate of 1 liter per 100 g of pasta). Then pour in the pasta. Cooking time should be less than what is indicated on the package. It is important to achieve the state of "al dente" ("by the tooth"). Pasta cooked in this way will be a little tougher than we are used to, but will bring much more benefits.
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