An Italian chef has named a common mistake people make when buying pasta at the supermarket – and the two features that improve a home-cooked meal.
Francesco Mattana splits his time between London and Sardinia and has taught hundreds how to cook like a professional.
‘There are many great companies that make incredible dry pasta out there so instead I’m sharing with you a few key points for you to recognise and choose the best pasta you can find when you go shopping,’ he said in a TikTok video.
Mr Mattana said it was important to look at dried pasta’s colour and texture before buying it at the supermarket.
And much to the surprise of many, he said pale and ‘floury’ is a good sign, whereas bright yellow and smooth is less desirable.
The chef placed two pieces of penne together that were made using the same ingredients: durum wheat, semolina and water.
‘I can help you choose the best quality pasta that you can find in any supermarket,’ he said in a video.
‘A good pasta must have a light yellow colour, almost ivory.
Professional chef Francesco Mattana splits his time between London and Sardinia
‘This means the pasta has been dried slowly at a low temperature and all of the nutrients haven’t been burned.
‘When you find yourself in front of a shelf of brightly coloured yellow pasta – that’s not a good sign.
‘This means the pasta has been put through a violent drying process which means a very high temperature for a very short amount of time.’
When it comes to texture, there are a few things you should look out for.
Mr Mattana said ‘good’ pasta is a light ivory colour and has a rough surface [left]
‘The surface of the pasta should be rough and opaque which is created by the extrusion technique,’ he said.
‘If you want to level up your pasta dishes, then look for ‘trafilatura al bronzo’ or ‘bronze drawn extruded’.
‘This will help you create a nice, creamy sauce.’
The chef also emphasised the importance of how the pasta fares through the cooking process.
‘When pasta is made with good quality durum wheat semolina, it will hold its shape and not go mushy.’
Many thanked the chef for his helpful tips in the comments, before naming their own ‘go-to’ brands of store-bought pasta.
Those that came up most regularly included De Cecco, Barilla, Molisana, Garofalo and Rummo.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .