Pasta has always been a popular food for mankind, dating back to the 4th century BC. This simple food was popular in ancient China and ancient Greece and was eventually popularised in Italy. This food is very simple, budget friendly and can be enjoyed a number of different ways. Many people have dry pasta in their pantry as a staple, which can always be cooked up into a delicious and healthy meal within minutes.
How is Pasta Made?



Pasta is a very simple food- made of only water and durum wheat semolina. This is a very nutritious type of hard wheat and it gives pasta a pleasant aroma and lovely rich taste. It is also what allows the pasta to keep firm and retain its shape while cooking.

During the production process, the wheat kernels are cleaned so that they are rid of any foreign substance and are then brushed in order to remove the external bran layer. After hydrating and conditioning, the wheat kernels are milled in the machine. The milling process removes the inner part of the grain from the outer skin, leaving behind the pure semolina.

This pure semolina is then adding to the kneading machines, where it is mixed together with water in order to form dough. When it reaches the right consistency, it is pushed out of the mould into the right shape. The pasta is then dried within an environment of hot, moist air for several hours.

What Are the Health Benefits of Pasta?

Pasta provides you with a lot of healthy nutrients, as well as fibre, vitamins and minerals. Both white pasta and the whole wheat variety provide you with an excellent source of selenium, which is a mineral that helps to activate anti-oxidant enzymes in your body that help to protect your cells from damage.

Eating pasta also provides your body with folate, which is also known as vitamin B-9. Folate can help your body to produce red blood cells and it will also support rapid cell growth. Pasta also contains arytenoids, which include zeaxanthin and lute in, which help to reduce your risk of lung cancer. It is no wonder the fine Italian restaurants in Hong Kong has to offer love to serve up this healthy food!

The World’s Most Popular Pasta Dishes

What are some of the most common pasta dishes eaten in Western restaurants around the world? Here are a few of the typical favourites:

• Lasagne – This dish consists of layers of flat pasta, along with layers of ground beef, cheese, tomato sauce and creamy sauce. It is very hearty and filling.
• Spaghetti Bolognese – This meaty and filling dish includes long spaghetti noodles with a rich and flavourful beef sauce.
• Fettuccini Alfredo – This delicious and indulgent dish features long, flat fettuccini noodles with a white, creamy, cheesy sauce.
• Tortellini – This is a type of pasta shaped like little pockets with filling inside – usually meat or cheese. It can be served with a tomato based sauce or a cream sauce.

These are just a few of the popular pasta dishes out there… so what is your favourite?