Angel Hair Pasta

Photo: flickr user CarbonNYC

About

Angel hair pasta is the thinnest of all long spaghettis. It is easy to cook, and goes well in any pasta dish, especially with tomato sauce. Also known as Capelli D'Angelo.

Information

Translations: Angel Hair Paste, Angel Hair tjestenine, Angel Tóc Pasta, Angel Hair Makarony, Angel Hair Deegwaren, एंजलहेअर पास्ता, Волосы ангела Паста, Angel Hair Ζυμαρικά, ملاك الشعر باستا, 엔젤 헤어 파스타, Angel Hair Těstoviny, Anghel ng buhok pasta, 天使头发面食, Angel Cabello Pasta, Vermicelli Testenine, Angel Hair Cestoviny, ורמיצ 'לי פסטה, Ангел Хаир тјестенине, エンジェルヘアパスタ, Angel Hair Pastaprodukter, Angel Cabello Pasta, Волосся ангела Паста, Ангел Hair Макаронени изделия

Physical Description

Angel hair pasta is a long, round, thin noodle. It is usually light tan in color, unless made with whole wheat flour.

Colors: wheat

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Wheat

Mouthfeel: Soft, Easy to chew

Food complements: Tomato sauce, Meatballs, Parmesan cheese, Sausage.

Wine complements: Red wine, Or pink (such as a riesling).

Beverage complements: Sparkling ciders

Substitutes: Gluten-free options are available in some grocery stores.

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: When you're at the grocery store, look for thin, long noodles that say "Angel hair"

Buying: As with most products, the cheaper brand usually offers the lower quality. When buying angel hair pasta, try to stick with brands that are priced at a middle-of-the-road rate.

Procuring: Angel hair pasta is traditionally made with durum semolina wheat, which is a comparatively hard wheat. That means that the pasta will not become mushy, unless it is severely overcooked.

Preparation and Use

To prepare angel hair pasta, bring water to a boil on the stove. Once it is boiling, put in the amount of pasta you want to cook. A general guidline is a dime-sized bunch of pasta per person. After putting in the pasta, cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until it is soft and not too chewy. Once it is done cooking, pour the pasta and water into a colander over the sink, and rinse with hot water.

Cleaning: After the pasta cooks, rinse with hot water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If the pasta is not rinsed, it will be sticky and taste dirty when served.

Conserving and Storing

Dry pasta can be stored for an impressively long period of time. Cooked pasta can be stored in a refrigerator for about two weeks, or in a freezer for a few months.