How to Work Ancient Kosher Pasta into Modern Italian Party Dishes

(Gerry Furth-Sides) While the news during the past two years is that Kosher restaurants have been opening up and thriving in totally unexpected places in many Italian cities (read not very friendly to the Jewish populace), kosher products have been produced in Italy and exported internationally without any fanfare for decades now.  (see article in link below).  In fact, according to the BC Kosher certification agency, the kosher food market has been growing around the world at an annual rate of 15% for the past several years.

We rarely, if ever cook pasta, or eat it, and when we even do, it’s pappardelle or any flat noodle.  But after trying several of the Tuscanini pastas, we became converts to the brand.  The pasta, by the way, is named after the Tuscany region not Toscanini the symphony conductor.   Tuscanini Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil alone make thick, glossy dressings with seasonings. Their Balsamic Vinegar Glaze is so beautiful it can be drizzled right over salads, veggies or desserts for the most decadent touch.

Above all, Tuscanini pastas are both tasty and so easy to prepare.  We all loved the shell-shaped Conchiglie  “shells” or “seashell” pasta.   The pasta itself is is durum wheat semolina, durum and  only natural pigments are used for the color, such as tomato extract or spinach extract.  The shell shape of the pasta allows the sauce to adhere to it.  Below is our Greek olive, peas, (salmon) trout and sun-dried tomato version, with a Thai curry sauce.  The elegant, sumptuous dish is ready for the most formal party.

Next came the beautiful and intriguing  lily-shaped Tuscan pasta that honors the town of Florence, Gigli Tuscanini pasta.  This very pretty hollowed out pasta shape with ruffles stands up to hearty meat sauces, naturally filling all the nooks and cranniesThis Gigli pasta dish with fresh broccoli, teardrop tomatoes, Italian pine nut and gorgonzola cheese is not the most dramatic because of the colors, but tastes delicious, and has a lot of texture.  We also made it substituting big Italian sardines for the shrimp, and loved it.

We prepared a sumptuous, festive dinner in a short time with Tuscanini Pasta laced with an artichoke pesto, pork chop stuffed with classic pesto and Indian chutney, roasted zucchini slabs, a salad and spelt baguette. Lemon and raspberry sorbetto with Italian macaron finished off the meal.

Fusilli, the Gourmet Certified Kosher Tri-Colored corkscrew pasta made from 100% Durum Semolina is a premium bronze cut into a whimsical corkscrew.  This colorful pasta’s ridges also absorb sauces well, especially paired with a sauce made with Tuscanini tomato Paste.   

Tips for perfect pasta:

Use a pot with a diameter big enough to hold all the pasta with a little room to spare, without bending or breaking long  strands like spaghetti, linguini and bucatini.  Be sure to add kosher salt, approximately three tablespoons to a large pot.  Never add oil to the water.

Be sure the water is boiling. To cook the pasta so it has “a tooth” or, in Italian, “al dente,” pull the pasta  out of the pot about three minutes earlier than the package directions, in most Tuscanini pastas this means 10-12 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon or tongs to move cooked pasta from pot to platter, right onto your sauce.  It will not stick together if you do this immediately after it is cooked.  Never blanch or run cold water over cooked pasta to stop the cooking; starchy pasta water absolutely adds to the taste.

A little sauce goes a long way.  We used 1/4 cup for six servings of pasta.  Eat immediately or put plates in the oven to microwave  to warm them.

//www.haaretz.com/food/.premium-jewish-food-is-becoming-all-the-rage-in-italy-1.5414648

About Kayco

A family owned business since 1948, Kayco offers products with the most rigorous kosher standards, highest levels of quality and value.  As a category leader, the company strives to elevate and constantly improve the selection and availability of Kosher products worldwide, and has done so since the first bottle of the now iconic Kedem Grape Juice was bottled in Upstate New York.  They carry thousands of internationally produced products  in more than 30 countries, on  independent grocers and every major supermarket chain shelves in the United States.