Raw Material
Pasta is made from a mixture of water and semolina flour. Semolina
is a coarse-ground flour from the heart, or endosperm, of durum
wheat, an amber-colored high protein hard wheat that is grown
specifically for the manufacture of pasta. With a lower starch
content and a higher protein content than all-purpose flours,
semolina flour is easily digested. Farina, rougher granulations of
other high-quality hard wheat, is also used to make
water
Salt,
some pastas. he semolina and farina flour are enriched with
!-"itamins and iron before they are shipped to pasta plants. #ggs
are sometimes added to the mixture for color or richness. Federal
guidelines stipulate that egg noodles contain a minimum of $.$% egg
solids. &egetable 'uices, such as spinach, beet, tomato, and
carrot, can also be added for color and taste. (n recent years, the
addition of herbs and spices such as garlic, basil, and thyme has
become popular.
However, new technology in pasta manufacturing now
enables finer semolina to be used, allowing for longer
tempering periods.
Grinding is done on break rolls, sizing rolls and reduction
rolls. Separation is done using machines called sifters and
purifiers. A durum mill has an extended break system in
which grinding is relatively gradual. The endosperm is
released in coarse granular form rather than as flour. The
grading, purifying and sizing systems are more extensive in
a durum mill, but the reduction system is very small
compared to that of a flour mill.
Semolina
characteristics for semolina include good colour, minimum
dark or bran specks and uniform granulation. Small
amounts of fine semolina and flour are produced. These
are often combined with normal semolina to produce
long and short pasta types.
to )$*,*** pounds +,)** kg. Pipes mo"e the flour to a mixing
machine equipped with rotating blades. Warm water is also
piped into the mixing machine. he mixture is kneaded to a lumpy
consistency.
Flavoring and coloring • / #ggs are added to the mixture if
the product is an
egg noodle. (f pasta is to be a fla"ored "ariety, "egetable
'uices are added here. 0 tomato or beet mixture is added for red
pasta, spinach for green pasta, carrots for orange pasta. 1erbs and
spices can also be folded in for additional fla"oring.
Rolling • 2 he mixture mo"es to a laminator where it
is
pressed into sheets by large cylinders. 0 "acuum mixer-machine
further flattens the dough while pressing air bubbles and excess
water from the dough to reach the optimum water content of
)/%.
Pasteurization • 3 he roll of dough mo"es through a steamer,
which
heats the dough to //*4F +)*345 in order to kill any existing
bacteria.
Cutting • $ 6epending on the type of noodle to be produced,
the
dough is either cut or pushed through dies. 7ibbon and string-style
pasta8such as fettucine, linguine, spaghetti, and capellini +angel
hair8are cut by rotating blades. o make tube or shell-shaped pasta
such as rigatoni, 9iti, elbow
are dropped by machine at pre-measured inter"als on a sheet of
pasta. 0nother sheet of pasta is placed o"er this sheet as it mo"es
along a con"eyer belt. he two layers then pass under a
cutting machine that perforates the pasta into pre- measured
squares.
• An extremely important feature of pasta is the richness
and variety of its shapes. Even though all pasta is
produced with the same raw materials, each shape, in
a certain sense, has its own personality: as regards,
for instance, the type of sauce that best goes with it;
or the way of using it, with meat or vegetable stock, or
drained and served with sauces of every kind. Pasta
shapes stimulate culinary creativity because they are
themselves the outcome of a creative process. The
countless shapes of pasta are the basis for thousands
of possible recipes, each one different and
characteristic. And this distinctive element of pasta is
mainly created by just one object:the die.
• A dieis a basic component of a press: the dough,
formed in the kneading tank and then driven by the
extrusion screw towards the head of the press, is
forced through the die. A die is composed of a main
support, normally made of bronze. This support is
drilled with special techniques and each hole is made
to house a drawing insert. The shape and type of
insert determines the final shape of the pasta. The
dough is pressed through the insert, which provides
the basic structure of the pasta (tube, hollow, sprial).
Behind the die there is often an additional structure
that bends, folds or cuts the pasta to form the final
• The classic material for the insert is bronze, which is
still entirely used to make traditional dies. Dies made
entirely of bronze have the feature of giving the
surface of the pasta a minutely jagged and porous
appearance, with highlights making it look white: this
is a direct consequence of the nature of the material
used for the die since the surface of bronze is never
perfectly smooth.
Drying • he pasta is placed in a drying tank in which
heat,
moisture, and drying time are strictly regulated. he drying period
differs for the "arious types of pasta. (t can range from three
hours for elbow macaroni and egg noodles to as much as )/ hours for
spaghetti. he drying time is critical because if the pasta is dried
too quickly it will break and if it is dried too slowly, the chance
for spoilage increases. he oxygen le"el in the tank is also
regulated, and lab technicians test frequently for salmonella and
other bacteria. 5areful handling of the pasta during the drying
period is also crucial. Spaghetti is the most fragile of the
noodles and is therefore hung high abo"e the floor.
Packaging • : Fresh pasta is folded in pre-measured amounts
into
clear plastic containers. 0s the containers mo"e along a con"eyer
belt, a plastic sheet co"ers each container and is sealed with a
hot press. 0t the same time, a small tube sucks the air of the
container and replaces it with a mixture of carbon dioxide and
nitrogen to prolong the product;s shelf-life. <abels
listing the type of noodle, nutritional information, cooking
instructions, and expiration date are attached to the top of
the
containers. 6ried pasta is loaded, either manually or by machine,
into stainless steel buckets +usually of hea"y gauge type 2*3 which
mo"e along a con"eyer belt to the appropriate packaging station. he
pasta is measured by machine into pre-printed boxes, which
also list the type of noodle, ingredients, preparation, and
expiration date. 0gain, careful handling is important. For
example, because lasagna noodles are particularly fragile,
workers place them on metal slides that ease the pasta into
boxes. he boxes are then sealed by machine. 5on"eying system can be
constructed in =S,= =5,= or =>= configurations, or as hori9ontal
con"eyer belts. hese systems mo"e the pasta up and down and across
the plant at heights up to )* feet +2 m. Workers at the floor-le"el
stations monitor the packaging process. he mechanism allows for
workers to package the pasta manually if necessary.
?uality 5ontrol
he manufacturing of pasta is sub'ect to strict federal regulations
for food production. Federal inspectors schedule regular "isits to
insure that the company is adhering to go"errnment laws. (n
addition, each company sets its own standards for quality, some of
which are set in practice before the pasta reaches the plant.
<ab technicians test the semolina flour for color, texture, and
purity before it is remo"ed from rail cars. Protein and moisture
content are measured and monitored on sophisticated quality control
computer software. (n the plant, technicians constantly test the
pasta for elasticity, texture, taste, and tolerance to o"ercooking.
Plant workers are required to wear haimets and plastic
glo"es. @ixing machines are scrupulously cleaned after each batch
of pasta passes through them. he drying process is strictly
monitored to guard against spoilage.
Homemade Pasta he popularity of pasta has spread to the
home-cooking arena. Pasta-rolling machines and pasta cookbooks are
a"ailable at house-wares stores and in cooks; catalogs. he recipe
for homemade pasta is similar to the industrial process with the
exception that eggs are generally used in all home pasta recipes.
Sometimes oil is added to the mixture, particularly if a lesser
grade of flour is used. he flour is measured out onto a wooden or
marble surface and formed into a mound with a well in the center.
#ggs, water, oil and any other desired ingredients are poured into
the well and mixed lightly with a fork. hen, beginning from
the outside of the mound, the flour is incorporated into the
center. he dough is kneaded for approximately fi"e minutes until a
smooth, elastic ball is achie"ed. 7olling the dough into sheets is
done with a long (talian-style rolling pin or with a rolling
machine. @ost rolling machines ha"e attachments for cutting the
dough into "arious forms of pasta such as spaghetti,
fettucine, lasagna, or ra"ioli. he dough can also be cut by hand
using a sharp knife or rolling blade. Specially marked rolling pins
that imprint squares on the dough or ra"ioli trays can be used for
making stuffed pasta. #xtrusion machines for making tube-style
pasta such as rigatoni or fusilli can also be purchased for home
use.
are paying more attention to their dietary intake. (n addition,
people are finding less time to prepare meals, and pasta is easily
made. Pasta manufacturers are responding to this demand by
introducing a wide "ariety of dried and fresh pastas. Cne recent
inno"ation is no-boil pasta that is partially cooked at the plant,
making this already easy-to- prepare food e"en simpler to bring to
the table at mealtime. Aew lines of fat- and cholesterol-free
ra"ioli are on the market as well as organically-grown pasta
products. wo new grains, South 0merican quinoa and #gyptian kamut,
are being used to make wheat-free pasta.
Where To Learn More
Books !ugialli, Duiliano. Bugialli on Pasta. Simon and
Schuster, )B. oussaint-Samat, @aguelonne. A History of Food.
+ranslated from the French by 0nthea !ell. !lackwell Publishers,
)BB/.
Periodicals !annon, <isa. =(talians 6o Still #at Codles of
Aoodles, !ut rend (s <imp.= Wall Street Journal, @ay )*, )BB3,
p. 0l. =What (s PastaE= !orden, (nc., )BB3. =5ustom-@anufactured
Pasta.= Food Engineering, anuary )BB), p. :). Diese, ames.
=PastaG Aew wists on an Cld Product.=
Food Technology, February )BB/, p. ))-/. @c@ath, 7obert.
=Pasta;s Aew World Crder.= Adweeks
!arketing Week, Ao"ember /$, )BB), p. / 8 !ary F.
!c"ulty