All about pasta

Paragraph 1
People all over the world eat a kind of
food from flour and water. In the West
this food is known as pasta but in Asia
we call it noodles.

Introduction

P a s ta
is m a d e fro m flo u r a n d w a te r.

in th e W e s t

in A s ia

(e .g . Ita ly , E n g la n d , F ra n c e , (e .g . Ja p a n , C h in a , M a la y isia ,
A u stra lia , e tc .)
S in g a p o re , e tc )

P a s ta

N o o d le s

Paragraph 2
The Chinese first started eating noodles about
1,000 years ago. Many people believe that
Marco Polo, the famous Italian explorer,
first took noodles from China to Italy.
However, we now know that the Italians
were already making pasta before that.
Italian sailors travelled a long way to look
for business. They needed food that would
keep fresh for a long time. So they learned
how to dry pasta.

History of Pasta - 1

Marco Polo

History of Pasta - 2

Italian sailors
travelled a long way
for business.
Pasta

Paragraph 3
Pasta is still made in the same way
today, with flour and water. It is then
rolled out and cut into shapes.
Sometimes other things are added to
change the colour. You can find green,
red and black pasta, made with
vegetables, tomatoes and even squid
ink!

How is pasta made?

water
flour
oil

Paragraph 4
The most popular kind of pasta is spaghetti.
However, there are many other sizes and
shapes of pasta. Some look like hats,
pillows, ears, worms or bows. Some are
stuffed with meat, seafood, vegetables and
cheese. One type of pasta is called angel
hair because it is very thin, like hair. Have
you ever eaten angel hair pasta?

Types of Pasta
1

Ears pasta
6
Spaghetti

Bows pasta
4

Worms pasta
7

Pillows pasta

Angel hair

Hats pasta

Stuffed pasta
filled with

meat, seafood,
vegetables and
cheese

Dried Pasta and Noodles

Arrowroot:
Very thin Chinese
noodles
Used in Oriental
dishes

Cannelloni
Large cylinders
Stuffed with cheese or
meat, sauce, & baked

 Egg Noodles
Usually ribbons in
varying widths; may
have spinach or other
flavorings
Buttered, casseroles,
some sauces, puddings

Elbow Macaroni
Narrow, curved tubes cut
in short lengths
Macaroni and cheese,
casseroles

 Fettuccine
Long, flat, ribbon-shaped
With medium-heavy, rich
sauces (alfredo)

Linguine
Thin, slightly flattened,
solid strands, about 1/8
inch wide
With oil, butter,
marinara, or other thin
sauce

 Manicotti
Thick, ridged tubes
Filled with meat or
cheese and baked

Mostaccioli
Medium-sized tubes with
angle-cut ends
With hearty sauces

 Orzo
Tiny, grain-shaped
Used in soups

Penne
Same as mostaccioli
Hearty sauces, baked

 Rice Noodles
Various widths
Long, straight ribbons
Oriental dishes

Rigatoni
Thick, ridged tubes cut
in lengths about
inches
With hearty sauces,
baked

 Rotelle (wheels)
Spiral-shaped
Medium or hearty sauces

Ziti
Medium-sized tubes
May be ridged, long, or
cut in approximately 2inch lengths
Hearty sauces; baked

Paragraph 5
We cook pasta in boiling water until it is
soft. Then we can mix it with a sauce
or eat it cold in a salad. Sometimes we
put pasta in soup.

How do we cook pasta?

Noodles
1. with sauce

2.

Noodles
with soup

3.

Fried noodles

Pairing Sauce to Pasta

Long, flat pasta

(fettuccine & linguine)

Tube & twisted pasta
Delicate flavor pasta
Dried pastas
Filled pastas

Smooth light cream

sauces
Heavy sauce (thick
tomato & meat)
Light cream or butter
Hearty meat sauces
Light sauces

Paragraph 6
People all over Asia eat noodles. Noodles can be
made from rice, beans and seaweed. They can
be fresh or dried. In China noodles are usually
fried or cooked in soup. They can also be
served cold. In Malaysia and Singapore they are
cooked with chilli to make them very spicy.
Have you ever eaten spicy noodles? The
Chinese have their own kind of stuffed pasta,
called wontons. They eat wontons with noodles.
Have you ever eaten wontons?

Pasta in Asia
Japanese
noodles

1.

Chinese
wontons

2.

3.

Fried noodles
(Malaysia & Singapore)

Paragraph 7
Pasta tastes delicious and it is also very
good for us. A lot of people love pasta
but the Italians love it the most. They
love it so much that they have a
museum just for pasta!