10 False Myths about Pasta

To complete your pasta education ... read on

Based in Rome, the Unione Italiana Food was founded in 2019 following the fusion of Aidepi (Associazione delle Industrie del Dolce e della Pasta Italiane) and Aiipa (Associazione Italiana Industrie Prodotti Alimentari).

Their remit is to enhance and protect iconic Italian food products as they grapple with the challenges of a global marketplace.

Representing 450 enterprises from more than 20 sectors, Unione Italiana Food encompasses 800 brands whose products end up on the tables of both Italians and Italian food lovers from all over the world.

Think of a pyramid with Barilla at the very top.

Not so long ago, we dug out a related press release to coincide with World Pasta Day which aimed at debunking a series of commonly held myths about pasta.

How many do/did you believe in?

Myth 1. Pasta Makes you Fat

Pasta does not make you fat. 100 grams of pasta provides an energy intake of approximately 360 kcal of which around 70% is in the form of complex carbohydrates and a protein content equal to 10-13%. And negligible fat content.

Clinical studies have also confirmed that it is not carbohydrates which make you fat or obese, but excess calories. Pasta is one of the the pilasters of the Mediterranean Diet.

Myth 2. Pasta was invented by the Chinese

The Chinese invention of pasta is a hoax fed to the world by Gary Cooper in the 1938 film "The Adventures of Marco Polo".

The picture crassly depicted the young Venetian explorer returning to Italy from China, laden with noodles which were then commercialized as spaghetti!

In fact, 'noodles' were already available in Sicily two centuries before the supposed era of the film when the island was under Arab rule.

Abu Abd-Allah Muhammed, cartographer to the Court of King Roger of Sicily in the 12th century, cites a dry pasta in the form of a strand called 'itriyya' and produced in the colony of Palermo.

The difference between this pasta and noodles that of the Chinese is that the latter is made with wheat flour or rice, and not durum wheat.

Myth 3. 'Al Dente' means the pasta is not quite cooked

above image copyright Delicious Italy

Pasta "al dente" is easier to digest because the gluten retains the granules of starch which make its assimilation more gradual.

In addition, the correct cooking time preserves the characteristics of the ingredients and avoids dispersion of their nutritional properties.

Conversely, if the pasta cooks for too long there is a progressive release of starch into the water. It is this which makes it cloudy.

An over-cooked pasta is too sticky and difficult to digest, especially if it cannot be chewed it effectively.

Myth 4. The industrial manufacturing process makes worse pasta

Wheat needs to be grinded to separate the bran (crusca) from the semola (flour). A traditional stone grinding method does not allow this process and you are left with 'wholemeal' or integrale flour.

In industrial processes this separation is efficiently done by neither crushing the crusca nor damaging the structure of the gluten and starch.

Myth 5. Gluten free pasta is slimming

No. Unless you are celiac or hypersensitive to gluten, then normal durum wheat pasta is fine.

In fact, the risk of over compensating for the reduced carbohydrates by consuming more fats could lead to a greater calorie intake.

Myth 6. Adding salt makes the water boil faster

No. Adding salt just before the water starts to boil (recommended) does not actually change the boiling point.

It is advisable though to put the lid back on the pan because the water boils in less time and energy is saved.

Do use only the amount of water needed. On average, 1 litre per 100 grams of pasta. But if the pasta is short you need 30% less (700 ml) liquid.

So add your pasta when the water starts to boil and strictly keep to the cooking times written on the side of the packet.

Once cool, the leftover water is ideal for houseplants.

Myth 7. Pasta is made from wheat

In 1967 an Italian law obliged manufacturers to make all dried pasta with durum wheat respecting parameters such as moisture and proteins which determine acidity and product quality.

This decree allowed Italian pasta to become a symbol of the made in Italy. So much so that 57% of the national production of pasta is now exported.

Nevertheless, speciality pastas made from alternative grains such as kamut, rice, spelt and corn are gaining market share from a level of less than 1 percent in 2018.

Myth 8. All pasta is made with one type of flour

Industrial pasta is made with a mixture of several varieties of flour.

So, regardless of the quality and quantity of a particular grain crop, a pasta of a high quality is always guaranteed and identical in appearance, texture, taste and during the cooking process.

Yet, this industrial production is also now flanked by pasta made with a single grain type, often ancient varieties such as 'Senatore 'Cappelli' or 'Saragolla' which have a lower yield and represent a niche market.

Note that the latter do not differ at a nutritional level from pasta made with the durum wheat blends.

Myth 9. Better pasta is drawn 'al bronzo'

All pasta is made by bronze drawing, but the inner mechanism may actually be teflon. If it is the latter, the pasta is smoother and more yellow. Bronze makes the pasta look paler and tends to be rougher.

Taste wise, bronze drawn pasta is more homogenous while the teflon makes the pasta more crunchy. Each can be enjoyed at their best with slightly different sauces.

Myth 10. All pasta is now made with genetically modified grain

The grain used to make pasta today is the result of spontaneous and random cross-fertilization of wild spelt (farro) and wild grasses. This created the first 'modern' grains or 'faro dicocco' which was also known to the Ancient Romans.

Since then a natural genetic development in man's hands over the centuries, by trial and error, has improved the durum wheat to create a more resistant and productive grain with more protein and a better quality gluten.

More reading - www.unioneitalianafood.it/en/pasta

All images provided by the press office of Unione Italiana Food unless indicated otherwise.

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