Pasta may have an unfair reputation for being too heavy and unhealthy, but it can be part of a healthy diet if chosen wisely. Look for pasta with few additives and ingredients you can pronounce.

Takeaway pasta services refer to dough made of leavened wheat flour combined with water or eggs and should not be confused with noodles made of other grains like rice.

Recipes

Pasta is an absolute crowd pleaser, whether enjoyed at a family meal or for entertaining at dinner parties. Versatile yet delectable, pasta provides energy in the form of carbohydrates to fuel our bodies - we offer everything from classic spaghetti bolognaise to lamb ragu with pappardelle dishes - many suitable even for people with dietary restrictions!

Every type of pasta offers its distinctive flavour and "bite", as well as compatibility with particular sauces. There are many methods of preparing pasta that affect texture and mouthfeel, while certain recipes might suggest distinct varieties to help achieve desired results.

Ingredients

Semolina, produced by grinding durum wheat, is the key raw material to craft pasta. Sifting ensures optimal particle sizes and quality before mixing with water in pasta production.

Takeaway pasta services are an excellent source of carbohydrates, an important energy source for our bodies. Simple sugars, which only provide short-term bursts of energy, often result in fatigue and hunger when broken down to produce glucose for fuelling brain and muscle functions. Pasta offers steady streams of glucose production, keeping productivity consistent without sudden spikes and crashes that can leave us exhausted or hungry.

Pasta can be customised further by including vegetables and nuts as ingredients to boost its nutritional content, provide extra fibre, vitamins and minerals, and reduce sodium. Pasta also triggers your body to release serotonin, which improves mood while making you feel satisfied - perfect for busy people looking to increase their nutrition intake!

Preparation

Pasta is typically created from semolina (a flour made from durum wheat) mixed with water and sometimes eggs, then formed or pressed into different shapes, either dried or fresh for consumption.

Cooking pasta to that elusive, just-right texture - chewy yet firm and fork-tender - requires practice and technique. Here are a few pointers:

Do not rinse cooked pasta as this wastes its precious starch that holds sauces to the noodles and can diminish their flavour. Furthermore, never add oil when boiling pasta, as this creates a slick layer that prevents your noodles from absorbing sauces and is an unnecessary use of good olive oil!

Cooking

Takeaway pasta services can be prepared using different sauces, vegetables, meats and cheeses. Furthermore, whole-grain pasta may be added or fortified with vitamins such as iron or folic acid to increase its nutritional value.

Remember that fresh pasta cooks more quickly than its dry counterpart, so care must be taken to avoid making soggy noodles when adding noodles directly into a hot pot before the water has come to a boil! Introducing them prior can lead to soggy or overdone results in your finished dish.

Salting the cooking water is vital for creating al dente pasta dishes and preventing sticking afterwards. Yet, some experts contend that adding salt increases potentially toxic iodinated trihalomethanes (ITCs).

Opt for kosher or Himalayan salt instead of regular table salt to reduce ITC levels in your pasta water and avoid health complications. These types of salt contain less sodium per teaspoon than traditional table salt, meaning less of an impact on ITC levels in the pasta water.

Pasta is low in sodium and free of cholesterol, which helps lower the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. It also contains B vitamins and folic acid, essential nutrients for women of childbearing age. It is also a good source of iron and protein.

Most people who eat pasta enjoy it with sauces and other nutrient-rich toppings. It is why a study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition found that pasta eaters had a higher-quality diet than non-pasta eaters. The pasta eaters in the study ate more fibre, folate, magnesium and iron and had a lower weight than the non-pasta eaters.