Mantecare — The Italian Secret to Creamy Pasta Sauces

Alex — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 21:08:37 +0000

SantoPalato “Mantecare”—often inadequately translated into English as “creaming,” but more accurately “emulsifying”—is a fundamental technique in Italian cuisine, essential for a wide array of pasta and risotto dishes throughout Italy—including aglio e olio, carbonara, all'amatriciana, alla gricia, cacio e pepe, alle vongole, alla Nerano, burro e parmigiano, and all risottos. Mantecare is the process of finishing pasta or risotto by creating a sauce through emulsifying a fat—typically cheese, extra virgin olive oil, butter, and/or rendered fat from meat (e.g. guanciale)—with the starch-rich pasta cooking water, wherein the starch from the pasta water or rice acts as a natural emulsifier. For…

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Fun Food Facts and Common Misconceptions

Alex — Tue, 21 May 2024 13:20:20 +0000

Durians at Chow Kit Market in Kuala Lumpur Many pervasive myths and misconceptions surround food and cuisine. Here are a collection of the most fun and intriguing food facts that I have collected over the years, many of which dispel common fallacies, challenge assumptions about the foods we eat, and shed light on what's really on your plate. Herbs and Spices Paprika is merely dried and ground red bell or other sweet pepper. In Hungary, spicier varieties can be found. In Serbia, hand strung and sun-dried nizača and kozí rohy (goat horn) peppers are used for paprika production. Sichuan peppercorns…

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