B4-U-BUY(tm) FYI - How To Be A Pasta Master

How To Be A Pasta Master

Not all pasta is created equal. To make masterful pasta dishes, pay attention to the details, including:

Check the quality of the wheat your pasta is made from. The best pasta is made from high-quality 100% durum semolina so it won't stick together or clump when cooked.
Know the process with which the wheat is milled. Wheat such as that used by Barilla, Italy's best-selling brand of pasta, is not over-milled, so it has a rich yellow color and retains its delicious flavor.
Cook pasta properly. For "al dente" pasta, use a premium Italian dry pasta. Pasta cooked al dente has a perfect texture and is easier to digest than overcooked pasta.
Use seasonal bounty. The best pasta dishes celebrate each season's best vegetables, herbs and accompaniments.

To inspire would-be pasta masters, Barilla offers 24 original recipes in "The Four Seasons of Pasta" recipe book.

To order, send $2 to cover the cost of shipping and handling along with your return address to Barilla Pasta "Four Seasons" Recipe Offer, P.O. Box 9081, Bridgeport, NJ 08014-9081.

This recipe from the new booklet, is light, easy to prepare and flavorful.

PENNE WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS, PROSCIUTTO & TOASTED PIGNOLI

Serves 4
1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch diagonal pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and slivered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 box (16 ozs.) Barilla Penne Rigate
1 or 2 slices prosciutto, fat trimmed, cut into thin slivers
1/2 tablespoons pignoli nuts, toasted until golden in a skillet
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the asparagus, olive oil and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Roast until crisp tender, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

Cook the penne in plenty of boiling salted water until firm to the bite, according to package directions. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup of cold water; drain. Combine the asparagus, prosciutto and pignoli. Toss with pasta to blend. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Serve at once.(NAPSI)

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