Monday, September 3, 2012

Pasta PDF - page 86

Let’s remember
1.       Where did noodles originate? It is believed that noodles had originated from China. In 2005, there had been a discovery of some 4000 year old noodles in Qinghai, China, which had dismissed any doubts that the noodle originated anywhere other than China. This discovery also proved that the first noodles had not been made of whole grain wheat, but of foxtail and broomcorn millet. The first written account of the noodle was from the East Han Dynasty between 25 and 220 A.D. In 300 A.D. the Chinese appeared to create noodles from a whole grain wheat paste. It is believed that Marco Polo brought the Noodle to his homeland from China in the thirteenth century.
2.       What kind of wheat is used to make pasta? Why is it used? The type of wheat that is used to make pasta is Durum Wheat (also known as macaroni wheat) which in turn makes durum wheat flour. Durum wheat is used to make pasta because it is more course than regular wheat, it has a good amount of gluten and it doesn’t require as much kneading as regular flour. Regular flour would also cause the pasta to fall apart. Durum wheat also makes the pasta easier to digest.
3.       Why have pasta and noodle dishes become popular in Australia? Pasta and noodle dishes have become widely popular in Australia mainly because of the impact from the multicultural influences, and the increasing number of food products that have now become available and can be bought almost anywhere.
4.       What is the difference between noodles and pasta? There are a number of differences between noodles and pasta. Although both noodles and spaghetti are long cylinders, noodles are thinner than spaghetti. The main ingredient of spaghetti is wheat flour; however noodles can contain different types of ingredients (e.g. rice starch and flour, potato starch and canna starch). Traditionally noodles are eaten with chopsticks, and spaghetti is eaten with a fork.  Noodles are normally boiled in water or a broth until they are softened, and then are served with sauce and other dishes like meat, seafood or vegetables. Spaghetti is generally boiled in water with olive oil or salt, and then is served with sauce and additional toppings such as herbs, oil, basil leaves, meat and vegetables.
5.       Name three kinds of pasta that are hollow in the middle. There are numerous types of pasta that are hollow in the middle. 3 kinds of pasta that are hollow will include cannelloni, macaroni and penne pasta.
6.       Which noodles are sometimes referred to as cellophane noodles? Why? The noodles that are sometimes referred to as cellophane noodles are glass noodles or bean thread noodles. The cellophane noodle is a type of transparent noodle that is made from starch (such as mung bean, yam, potato, or canna starches) and water. They are called cellophane noodles because of their appearance when they are cooked, which resembles cellophane (a clear material/translucent light grey colour)
7.       What do carbohydrates provide us with? Carbohydrates provide the body with fuel and energy that is mandatory to proceed with the daily activities and exercise we do. Any extra energy is stored until needed.  Our bodies need a constant supply of energy to function properly, and a lack of carbs can cause tiredness, poor mental function and lack of stamina. Carbs are also important for correct working of the brain, heart and nerves, digestive and immune systems.
8.       Is pasta a good source of protein? Explain. No, pasta is not a good source of protein. This is because the protein amount in pasta is between low to medium, depending on the type of flour used. Most pastas are made from durum wheat; this contains both protein and gluten. Once the pasta is digested, the protein in the pasta may be burned as fuel after being converted to sugar.
9.       How can we classify carbohydrates? We can classify carbohydrates in a number of ways. The most common classification system divides the carbs into groups that are according to the number of individual simple carbohydrate molecules.  There is monosaccharaides, which contain a single unit; disaccharides, which contain two carbohydrate units; and there is polysaccharides, which contain many carbohydrate units.
10.   Why do athletes eat carbohydrates? Athletes eat carbohydrates because they benefit the most from the amount of carbs that are stored in the body. In early stages of moderate exercise, carbohydrates provide 40-50% of the energy required. Carbohydrates produce more energy per unit of oxygen eaten than fat. During digestion, the body breaks down carbohydrates to glucose and stores it in the muscles as glycogen. During exercise, the glycogen is converted to glucose and is used for energy. The ability to withstand long vigorous exercise is directly related to the original levels of the muscle glycogen.       

Let’s investigate
1.       Choose five different types of pasta and find one suitable recipe for each. The five types of pasta I have chosen is spaghetti, macaroni, ravioli, lasagne and cannelloni. A recipe for spaghetti would be the traditional spaghetti Bolognese. For macaroni, a suitable recipe would be macaroni and cheese. With ravioli, a good recipe would be roast pumpkin and herb ricotta ravioli. A good recipe for lasagne would just be the classic lasagne. With the cannelloni pasta, a recipe that would be suitable would be spinach and ricotta cannelloni.

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