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If you're anything like most Americans, you eat pasta at least once a week. If you're a pasta lover, you probably eat pasta at least once a day. You might think you're a pasta connoisseur, a noodle afficionado, but how much do really know about pasta?

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"Al dente" means "to the tooth" when translated literally from Italian.

To the tooth

What does "al dente" mean?

Farfalle means butterfly in Italian. Though Americans often call them bow-ties because of their shape, they also resemble butterflies, hence the Italian name.

Farfalle

What is this kind of pasta called?

Semolina is a coarsely ground flour made of durum wheat that is often used to make pasta.

Semolina

What is the coarse flour used to make pasta called?

Rinsing pasta washes off the starches that have formed on the surface of the pasta. These starches are essential for having sauces stick to the pasta.

False

True/False: You should always rinse off your pasta after you strain it.

There are around 600 unique pasta shapes worldwide.

How many different pasta shapes are there?

The salt adds flavor to pasta. Oil does not have any positive effects on boiling pasta - if you want oil on your pasta, put it on after! And spices in the water? Don't be ridiculous.

Salted water

What should you boil pasta in?

Ravioli float when they are cooked because the steam that gets trapped inside them brings them to the surface of the water.

When they float to the top

How can you tell when ravioli are cooked?

This pasta is named for its shell-like appearance (it looks like a conch shell).

Which of the following are conchiglie?

According to the National Pasta Association, noodles must contain at least 5.5% egg.

Noodles must contain egg

What is the main difference between pasta and noodles?

This is the most traditional way to make pasta - it allows you to add just the right amount of flour.

By making the flour into a volcano shape with the eggs in the middle

What is the best way to mix ingredients for fresh pasta?

This pasta is made with squid ink - that's how it gets its amazing dark color.

Squid ink

What gives this pasta its black color?

Because of how delicate they are, thin pastas pair best with light sauces.

Light, thin sauces

What kind of sauce goes best with thin pastas, like capellini or spaghetti?

Puttanesca is a salty, briney dish with a lot of tang - these ingredients give the sauce its unmistakable flavor.

Olives, capers, anchovies, and garlic

What ingredients can you expect to find in a puttanesca sauce?

All throwing pasta at the wall does is tell you if the pasta is sticky, not if it is done. Sometimes the outside of pasta can become soft before the inside, so under cooked pasta could stick to the wall. On the other hand, overcooked pasta is often sticky and gummy, so it can stick to the wall as well.

True/False: If you throw pasta against the wall and it sticks, it's perfectly cooked.

This tiny pasta is traditionally served in soup, like Italian Wedding Soup.

In soup

This pasta, acini de pepe, is best served how?

Pasta is a complex carbohydrate! It also has a lot of health benefits, including containing a good amount of protein, amino acids, and fiber. Additionally, it is low in sodium and fat, and is cholesterol-free. When paired with healthy meats and vegetables, pasta can fit perfectly into a balanced diet.

True

True/False: Pasta is a complex carbohydrate.

You know basically nothing about pasta. You might even think pasta is bad for you. That's okay, though, you have plenty of time to start studying (and eating more pasta)!

Pastaphobic

You have a lot to learn about pasta, but that doesn't mean you don't like it. Like the guy in this photo - he's clearly having a great time with the pasta, but if he truly loved it, he wouldn't waste it by spilling it on the table.

Pasta Student

You might not know everything about pasta, but you still really like eating it. So what if you don't know the difference between linguine and fettuccine? You'll eat either!

Pasta Lover

You love pasta so much (almost as much as this baby). You probably think it's the best food on the planet (because it is, duh). You truly know everything there is to know about pasta, and you deserve all the respect in the world for that. People should start bowing down to you tbh.

Pasta Fanatic

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