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Friday 15 January 2010

Does size matter?

I don't dislike pasta. I just don't eat that much of it. Recently I bought two bags on offer for a pound each. Big pasta shells. I'd never had big pasta shells before. I never even gave the size or shape a thought. Pasta is pasta, isn't it? Some time ago I ate a couple of portions on two seperate occasions. The rest sat in a plastic tub in my pantry. Dried pasta staring out onto an uncaring world. Pasta by on the dried goods road to my plate. It probably sat there a month wondering why it wasn't loved. My subconscious had decided that it didn't like it and despite what they say, size does appear to matter. I think that because it was bigger than penne pasta (my fave) I also thought it was more chewy somehow.



I found myself making a wierd decision last night, that of buying two replacement bags of penne pasta and dumping the dormant one in the rubbish bin. I don't like wasting food really.

I cooked some of the replacement, tube like, penne pasta last night and had it with some meatballs. It was great and preceeded by a garlic baguette all to myself.

Does size or shape really matter? Have you ever turned against a pasta shape or size without real reason?

8 comments:

Cheryl said...

I find not so much the size but the kind of flour used to matter more than anything. Some flours have more flavor than others and can then interfere with the taste of the sauce, depending on what kind of sauce. Then again I tend to use either spahgetti or linguini pastas moslty.

Unknown said...

I tend to buy the organic or wholewheat variety. Not bothered about shape or size. I make quite a good vege spag bol, even if Gail gets a bit fed up with it!

French Fancy... said...

I don't like the jumbo shells at all because water gets hidden in the centre and then makes the pasta very soggy when it is in the bowl. I'm also not a fan of penne - I don't know why either.

I like tagliatelle and the vey fine string - is it angel hair? (forget the Italian name)

I adore pasta and it will be my downfall because a huge bowl is a lot of calories

Ken Devine said...

Yes! The jumbo shells for the reason FF gives.
I prefer the candy twist with diced bacon, peppers, chopped up tomato, spring onion and a dollop of mayo...chilled.

Anonymous said...

Large pasta isn't my favorite because there's too much flour for not enough sauce. Although, choosing the right pasta depends on the type of sauce.
You'll have to learn to make your own.

We eat tons here because my DH adores it.

Karenjane said...

I won't eat fusilli pasta because (& I know this sounds silly), I think it tastes curly. Luckily Steve knows what I mean. Don't like big shapes either, or macaroni. Just because I don't like the look of them. We eat lots of penne, tagliatelle, linguine,& our current favourite is trofie. I usually make my own sauces, mainly with vegetables, or just stir in some good pesto sauce - if I'm feeling extravagant I buy some from Carluccios.

Dean said...

Any size shape and colour is fine by me, On another note i have managed to get my other half on to cold pasta with salads after many years of "ewww how can you eat it cold" i made her try a little and now she is converted.

Banlon1964 said...

Wholewheat spaghetti and penne are staples.
I always want to try having 'vermicelle' (would that be angels hair pasta in English ?) like spaghetti, but I always think of that when I'm not actually cooking, and then I forget.