If there is one ingredients that sums up the essence of Italian cooking, it must surely be pasta, that wonderfully simple and nutritious staple that can be formed into an almost infinite variety of shapes and sizes. In Italy, pasta is an essential part of every meal and does not constitute a meal on its own. Primo, as the course is known, is eaten between the antipasto (appetizer) and second (the main course). Sometimes small pasta shapes are served in soup as pasta in brodo. There are two basic types of pasta, pastasciutta (dried) and pasta fresco (fresh).

The globe artichoke (not to be confused with the Jerusalem artichoke), is a thistle. The tender heart is found at the base of the artichoke. Dip the tender base of the cooked leaves in a sauce or dressing. Add the hearts to salads or serve with pasta. Pasta is wonderfully satisfying, and we've enhanced its goodness in this colorful entree by adding iron-rich spinach, fiber-filled chick-peas and sweet, chewy raisins. The elegant pasta recipes features a creamy topping made with part-skim ricotta cheese, which provides the appropriate flavor and texture without all the fat.

I love to cook pasta for my family, but am bad at estimating the quantity of spaghetti I need for each person. What can I do ?

In Italy, pasta traditionally precedes the main course of a full, formal meal, so portions are small(ish) - about 60-65 grams of pasta (weighed dry, before cooking) per adult. If it's for a main course, 100-120 grams per head is about right. However, if the sauce and ingredients are substantial, as in lasagna or penne with sausage, for example, you will probably need less pasta. If the pasta is the 'star', as in spaghetti con aglio e olio, you may need more. Leftover pasta is easily recycled as a frittata, by beating eggs into it and frying it into a chunky pancake.

Origin and History of Pasta | Basic Pasta Cooking Method