7 Rules for a Healthy Pasta Meal
# 1. Always choose pasta made from 100% semolina from Durum wheat
Durum is an ancient type of grain that is a hybrid of wild grasses with a high protein content. Pasta that’s made from Durum wheat has a remarkably low glycemic index (GI) making it a healthy carb choice.
#2. Make your own pasta sauces
It’s easy, allows you total control of what goes over your pasta, and you’ll save money too. Shop-bought sauces swim in salt, sugar and a deadly cocktail of chemically laden fatty goo. Make a big batch, all pasta sauces freeze well.
#3. Always cook pasta in plenty of salted water and ‘al dente’
Overcooked pasta does not only change its texture and taste but also its nutritional profile. It contains less fibre and B vitamins and a much higher glycemic index than pasta cooked ‘al dente’ because the longer pasta is cooked, the more the sugars it contains break down.
#4. Good quality dried pasta
There is misconception that fresh supermarket pasta is superior to dried pasta. This is not true. Truly fresh pasta worth buying is made just with good quality flour and real eggs or just flour and water, nothing else! Italians will always favour good quality boxed, dried pasta over supermarket-bough fresh pasta
#5. Which shape?
Any shape you like! The one simple rule worth following is pairing the pasta shape to the sauce. Short pasta shapes are best for rich, chunkier sauces while long strands and ribbon are best for light, oil- based sauces.
#6. How much salt
Add 1 tablespoon of coarse grain salt for every 5 litres of water a couple of minutes before adding the pasta to the pan. The addition of salt is essential, pasta cooked in unsalted water has a bland texture and flavour regardless of how tasty the sauce is.
#7. Watch those portions!
It is very easy to over eat pasta, cook between 90g and 125g of good quality dried pasta per person for a main meal.
Hungry yet? Check out my delicious, authentic pasta sauces recipes!
