Boxed Pasta Tasting… the Artisanal, the Cheapest One and the Egg Based Pasta!

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Pasta with ragu sauce ready to enjoy!
Pasta with ragu sauce ready to enjoy!


Boxed pasta makes for a quick lunch or dinner and its perfect to resolve a last minute meal. There's a several ways to make this dish but the prime product, the pasta, must be of good quality to result in a good dish. And good quality doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive box or the most beautifully packaged. I took the time to buy three different pastas and cooked them exactly the same way to see which one came out with better texture and rolled perfectly.


Three boxed pasta tasting
Three boxed pasta tasting

First I chose the cheapest pasta I found in the supermarket (Alma's), then I moved to a popular egg based pasta (Barilla), and finally I bought a beautifully packaged artisanal bag of pasta at the highest price of the three (Al Dente Artisanal Pasta). I cooked them all in the same amount of water at the same temperature with some salt and olive oil. Surprisingly the pasta that came out perfectly rolled and al dente was the cheapest one. Once I had my pasta choice, I made it with a ready to use ragu sauce that I enhanced with some garlic, onions and herbs. Lesson learned, not always the most expensive food gives you the best meal.

Buen provecho!

Three pastas cooked the same way
Three pastas cooked the same way

Ingredients
(2 servings)
3 cups water
3 tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
¼ lb. Alma's linguine
½ white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup, ragu sauce (jar)
¼ bunch, chopped parsley

Try this dish with my chicharron for a crunchy appetizer

Garlic, onion and sauce cooking
Garlic, onion and sauce cooking

Directions

Heat the water in a deep pot at medium high. When the water starts to boil add one tablespoon of olive oil, salt and the pasta and cook it for 7 minutes. While the water cooks, place two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan at medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and let it cook for two minutes. Then add the sauce and mix well. Place the pasta in the sauce and top with fresh parsley.


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