An Italian chef has mentioned a common mistake people make when buying pasta in the supermarket and the two characteristics that improve a home-cooked meal.
Francesco Mattana He divides his time between London and Sardinia and has taught hundreds of people how to cook like a professional.
“There are many great companies that make amazing dried pasta, so I’m sharing some key points so you can recognize and choose the best pasta you can find when you go shopping,” he said in a TikTok. video.
Mattana said it was important to look at the color and texture of the dried pasta before buying it at the supermarket.
And to the surprise of many, he said that pale and “mealy” is a good sign, while bright, smooth yellow is less desirable.
The chef put together two pieces of penne made with the same ingredients: durum wheat, semolina and water.
“I can help you choose the best quality pasta you can find in any supermarket,” he said in a video.
‘A good pasta should have a light yellow, almost ivory color.
Professional chef Francesco Mattana divides his time between London and Sardinia
‘This means that the pasta has been dried slowly at a low temperature and not all the nutrients have been burned off.
‘When you find yourself in front of a shelf of brightly colored yellow pasta, it’s not a good sign.
“This means that the pasta has been subjected to a violent drying process, which involves a very high temperature for a very short period of time.”
When it comes to texture, there are a few things you should pay attention to.
Mattana said that “good” pasta is light ivory in color and has a rough surface (left)
“The surface of the pasta must be rough and opaque, which is achieved through the extrusion technique,” he said.
‘If you want to improve your pasta dishes, search for ‘bronze drawing’ or ‘extruded drawn bronze’.
“This will help you create a rich, creamy sauce.”
The chef also emphasized the importance of how the pasta behaves during the cooking process.
“When pasta is made from good quality durum wheat semolina, it will hold its shape and not become mushy.”
Many thanked the chef for his helpful advice in the comments, before naming their own brands of store-bought pasta.
Among those who appeared most regularly were De Cecco, Barilla, Molisana, Garofalo and Rummo.