Hi - I went to the organic food store yesterday and was surprised and then number of different pasta choices offered. I saw a whole grain lasagna and rice flour pasta - would these be core? I don't understand what makes something core - are there any guidelines? The companion has a lot but there's a lot left out it seems.
Cin: thanks for the help. I'm still a little confused. I bought a box of what was called whole wheat penne. If I look on the back and it says whole wheat flour this is not good? Is it not then whole wheat pasta? And that would mean a lasagna called whole grain would be good? Unless I look on the back and it is made with flour? How can you make pasta without some kind of flour? Aargghh. I'm trying to do this right but jeez it's confusing! I also love it about the popcorn though!
Here is the information from a whole wheat lasagna I found but the first ingredient is flour! I just am confused:
Organic Whole Wheat Lasagna Westbrae Whole Wheat pasta contains all the natural vitality found in wheat that is organically grown without synthetic sprays or fertilizers. The pasta is made from ground whole grain durum wheat. Neither the wheat germ nor the bran has been removed, so there's no need for artificial ''enrichments.'' All this care gives our pasta the full, nutty flavor reminiscent of whole grain bread. Ingredients: Organically grown 100% whole durum wheat flour.
My book gave this example:
Whole grains are complex carbohydrates,but not ALL complex carbohydrates are whole grains. For example,bread is a complex carbohydrate,but is only considered a whole grain if made from whole wheat.
Examples of ingredients that are not whole grain are "wheat flour",enriched flour and de-germinated corn meal.
My whole wheat pasta from my kitchen pantry said "Whole Wheat Pasta made from whole grain.............thats all I can tell you........... just be sure it says the first ingredient is whole GRAINS.
Remember this is still new to me too!
Keep it simple.
I have been searching for some whole wheat noodles............havent located any yet.
I was wondering, CIN maybe you can answer this.....I know that Whole Wheat Pasta is OK, but Whole Wheat Flour is not. What if I wanted to make my own pasta from whole wheat flour.....same ingredients as the store bought...only freasher cuz i made it myself. There seems to be a lot of descrepencies. Although I kinda understand the flour issue (see my cornbread post)...AUGH!!!!!!!!!!
I bought some whole wheat pasta the other night (egg noodle shaped) and although the family ate we didn't like it much. I am wondering if I cooked it wrong? Also, it was quite expensive
now you guys have me all worried! we have recently purchased multiple types of whole wheat pasta and that do not say anything about whole grain. one says "certified organic whole durum wheat". while the other two say "enriched semolina". so looked both of those up in the dictionary and this is what i got:
Main Entry: du·rum wheat
Pronunciation: 'dur-&m-, 'dyur-, 'd&r-&m-, 'd&-r&m-
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin durum, from Latin, neuter of durus hard
: a wheat (Triticum durum) that yields a glutenous flour used especially in pasta -- called also durum
Main Entry: sem·o·li·na
Pronunciation: "se-m&-'lE-n&
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian semolino, diminutive of semola bran, from Latin simila wheat flour
: the purified middlings of hard wheat (as durum) used especially for pasta (as macaroni or spaghetti)
Semolina is the variety of flour that is used to make pasta...usually it is a "00 grind" which is similar to cake flour. It can be a whole grain semolina....just depends on how far down they refine the flour...a WHOLE GRAIN one (and it would specify on the package) would be slightly darker. There are other types of whole grain pasta as well...not all is semolina/durum...some is made from brown rice,oat,spelt, etc...all can be WHOLE GRAIN or refine....just look at the package for the magic words......clear as mud?
If a wheat product's label (usually on the back) says it's made from 100-percent WHOLE WHEAT flour then its a whole grain. If it says its made with "enriched wheat flour" or anything else, it's not 100-percent whole wheat, even if the pasta or bread's packaging calls it "whole wheat" ... "enriched wheat flour" or "wheat flour" just mean flour ... if they're trying to fool us, they make the product brown by adding molassas (sp?) or other coloring and call it whole wheat but that's just smoke and mirrors. You can also tell by the fiber ... 100-percent whole wheat products are usually higher in fiber.
But there are also, as said above, lots of other worthy whole grain products made from other grains ... but you have to look at the labels carefully ... for instance bread that calls itself "multigrain" or "whole grain" often isn't.
In my supermarket there's a "health whole wheat blend" pasta that ISN'T any healthier than the white kind ... it isn't made with 100-percent whole wheat at all ... but it looks like it.
Whole Grain pasta
,whole barley,whole cornmeal ,whole wheat ,or whole rye.
