1.

a) Marco Polo was credited to have brought back pasta to Italy. The pasta was
supposedly from China.
b) The All important flour to make pasta is the semolina flour. The name of the
hard wheat it is derived from is the durum wheat.
c) In 1895 spaghetti was called Macaroni.
d) The first tomato and pasta recipe was made in 1939.
e) Italians eat over sixty pounds of pasta per person while Americans eat about
twenty pounds per person.
f) The Italian word for dried is secca. The Italian word for fresh is fresca.
g) Approximately there are 350 different shapes and varieties of dried pasta you
can receive in Italy.
h)
By Italian law dried pasta must be made with 100% durum semolina four
and water.
i) The purposed of ridges on pasta are to hold on to the pasta sauce.
j) Italian pasta is dried for 50 hours.
k) Serving fresh pasta shows a great deal of care and preparation and high level
of household culinary skills.
l) Emilia-Romagna has the reputation of making the best fresh pasta.
m) Al dante is the term used best to describe the doneness of pasta.
n) Using a large quantity of water to cook you pasta will stop water from
sticking. Lots of salt is added, normally pasta never has salt in it so this is the
only time it is ever seasoned. Some people add olive oil to also keep large
pastas from sticking.
o) You should never rinse pasta because all the starch and salt will rinse off.
p) A good rule to remember when deciding on the sauce for your pasta is that
simple pasta works with simples sauces and complex shaped pastas are ideal
for thick sauces.
2.
a) The article suggests we should stay as beautiful as Italian actress Sophia
Loren.
b) According to the article you should stock your fridge with good quality pasta,
olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lean meat, fish, sea food, different herbs
like oregano, basil and parsley. Sometimes a little parmesan cheese.
c) The pasta recommended for soup is the pasta of your choice but rice pasta is
highly recommended.
d) Mashed pumpkin is added to the lasagna for vegetarians.
3.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Caesar Salad
Rolling spaghetti with a spoon
Salad as a appetizer
Pasta and meat on the same plate
Cappuccino after a meal
Oil and Butter with bread in a restaurant

7) Italians eat pasta everyday

8) Italians eat big dinners
9) Couples sitting side by side
10)
Italians have large families
4. On this quiz I scored 3 out of 10.

5. Ziti Recipe 10 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al
dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
2) In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti
sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
3) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking
dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce
mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with
grated Parmesan cheese.
4) Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Gnocchi Recipe 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup dry potato flakes
1 cup boiling water
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1) Place potato flakes in a medium-size bowl. Pour in boiling water; stir until
blended. Let cool.
2) Stir in egg, salt, and pepper. Blend in enough flour to make fairly stiff dough.
Turn dough out on a well floured board. Knead lightly.
3) Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a long thin roll, the thickness of a
breadstick. With a knife dipped in flour, cut into bite-size pieces.
4) Place a few gnocchi in boiling water. As the gnocchi rise to the top of the pot,
remove them with a slotted spoon. Repeat until all are cooked.

Tortellini Primavera Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons salted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 cup cauliflower florets (broken into small pieces)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (powdered), plus more for serving
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup diced cooked ham
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh basil leaves, chopped or cut into chiffonade, plus more for serving

Directions:

1) Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the tortellini in the boiling water for a couple of minutes
less than the package directions call for. Drain and set aside.
2) Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions and stir and
cook for 1 minute. Add the cauliflower, carrots and asparagus and stir and cook 1 minute.
Splash in the broth, then cook until the liquid reduces a bit, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan
and cream and cook until hot. Stir in the peas, ham and some salt and pepper and continue
cooking to allow the peas and ham to heat up in the sauce. Add the basil and heat; stir in the
tortellini. Check for seasoning, adding more if needed, and serve with extra Parmesan and basil.