Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

 

Author and photos by: Maycko Macapugas

You can never have too much pasta– well, you can, but some health-oriented alternatives wouldn’t hurt either! While any pasta alternative won’t necessarily get rid of the carbs we fear and love, Flavour Revolution Solenzi provides a variety of choices for those with gluten-free needs.

Of course the challenge for me wasn’t necessarily tasting or cooking the pasta. Rather, I found it challenging to figure out what to cook with the pasta and to help bring out and enhance the embedded flavours. With so many pastas available, I was inclined to do some research into what would help with the taste!

Also, eating pasta alone is never fun, so I got some friends together and made it a community thing; pasta seems to be a community thing.

 

Turmeric & Rice Gnocchetti

The intention behind making this dish was to really let the turmeric flavour come through. It may have been an overpowering pesto and tomato sauce taste because I found myself continually searching for that signature (though, subtle) gingery flavour. Eating the gnocchetti on its own presented the classic turmeric impression, though I found it delicate against the more tangy tomato sauce.  

Nonetheless, the aromatic nature of this pasta put up well against the garlic bread. However, fair warning, the grainy texture of the rice in this pasta found itself sticking to parts of my teeth. Nothing unbearable, though it came as a bit of a surprise.

 

 

Red Lentil Fusilli

Being new to pasta alternatives, I was completely open to the experience. The first few bites, of course, were filled with other flavours that it was hard to find hints of lentils. It took a few bites for me to figure it out, but the fusilli worked as complement to the flavours already present. The slightly sweeter pasta helped to create a rounder palate urging me to go back for a second serving.

You can even notice that the “red” part of this pasta name loses its colour (see image below) after a thorough cooking. While the pasta itself remains relatively tasteless, the texture never indicates it is not of the traditional sort.

 

 

While I was a bit underwhelmed by the way I cooked the turmeric & rice gnocchetti, the red lentil fusilli did just the trick. Given the right dishes and palate combinations, these pastas fit right into my pantry. I land partial to the fusilli; the smooth al dente textures provide a mouthful that help carry the tastes of all other ingredients.

Of course, these two aren’t the only options from the Solenzi line; I would definitely try out other options the next time I come across them. Keep ‘em coming!