Recently, I attended an exclusive Gluten Free Pasta event which was held at George Brown College and sponsored by Catellli. The event celebrated the launch of Catelli's newest cut of gluten free pasta - Catelli Gluten Free Macaroni.
 |
| (Photo courtesy of Catelli) |
To start the evening, we were treated to Catelli Gluten Free macaroni samples with pesto, olive oil and tomato sauce. We also noshed on grilled vegetables and cheese. The pasta dishes from left to right were cooked for 3 minutes, 5 minutes and 7 minutes. This gave us an idea of what kind of texture to expect from specific cook times. It also allowed us to explore how long we personally prefer our pasta to be cooked for.
 |
| (Photo courtesy of Catelli) |
Catelli Gluten Free pasta is produced in a dedicated Gluten Free facility. It is also certified by the Canadian Celiac Association Gluten Free Certification Program and is GMO free! This is one all around fantastic product line. I have been a fan since I first reviewed the line here.
Our host for the evening was, Director of George Brown Chef School, Chef John Higgins.
 |
| (Photo courtesy of Catelli) |
Chef Higgins is a judge on the Food Network's Chopped Canada and former personal chef for the Queen Mother. He was very engaging and pretty darn funny! I appreciated the time he took to answer questions and his thorough answers. Chef Higgins is a fantastic teacher!
 |
| (Photo courtesy of Catelli) |
Throughout the evening he provided us with wonderful pasta tips. You can see some of his advice below.
* Pasta should be cooked according to the directions on the pasta box. For some recipes that require the pasta to be cooked in sauce following boiling, however, an al dente consistency is preferred. For such recipes, cut one to two minutes off the cooking time on the package.
* When cooking pasta, use a large pot. You will need one quart of water to approximately 100 grams of pasta. Using a large pot will give the pasta room to boil and not stick together.
* Over-seasoning the water with salt – bringing it almost to the taste of the sea – will substantially enhance the flavour profile of the dish. As a rule of thumb, use 10 grams of salt for one litre of water and 100 grams of pasta.
* Never add oil to the water when cooking pasta. It does not keep it from sticking together. In fact, the oil creates a coating that prevents the sauce from adhering to the pasta.
* Always stir the pasta for about 45 seconds after adding it to boiling water. Then, stir occasionally as the cooking process continues, especially during the first three minutes, as that’s when the pasta can stick together.
* Never rinse pasta after cooking, as it’s important to retain the starch to enable the sauce to coat. Instead, spread it evenly on a baking tray to cool.
* When making a pasta dish, think about the harmony of taste, texture and balance between noodle and sauce. Thin pasta strips, for example, work best with a classic tomato, seafood or pesto sauce. Thicker pasta cuts, such as fettuccine, are wonderful for a cheese or cream-based sauce. Filled pasta is ideal with a light tomato broth or cream sauce.
 |
| (Photo courtesy of Catelli) |
With the guidance of Chef Higgins and his team, we each prepared the Ginger Edamame Macaroni Salad recipe below. If you are looking for a vibrant pasta salad, this one is a keeper! It's fresh, filling and full of flavour. I love this dish and cannot say enough positive things about it. Give it a try and let me know what YOU think.
Ginger Edamame Macaroni Salad
Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 5 - 6 min
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 pkg (340 g) CATELLI® Gluten Free Macaroni
2 cups (500 mL) frozen edamame
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) each granulated sugar and water
4 tsp (20 mL) gluten-free soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil
1 cup (250 mL) each diced red pepper and cucumber
1 cup (250 mL) each shredded Napa or Chinese cabbage and carrot
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped green onions
1. Cook macaroni according for 3 to 3½ minutes. Drain in colander, then place pasta on a flat tray to cool. Once cooled, sprinkle with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil and mix gently with fingers.
2. Blanche edamame in 2 cups (500 mL) of salted water for about 2 minutes and drain.
3. Meanwhile, whisk vinegar with sugar, water, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper until sugar is dissolved; whisk in oil. Add cooked edamame to mixture.
4. Toss macaroni and edamame mixture with red pepper, cucumber, cabbage, carrot and green onion to combine. Serve immediately.
Grab yourself a coupon for $1.00 off the purchase of any Catelli Gluten Free pasta product and get cooking.
*** CONTEST ALERT ***
Catelli was kind enough to offer one of my readers a chance to win a one year supply of Catelli Gluten Free Macaroni. This Give away is open to residents of Canada only. Enter below, through Rafflecopter.
Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
