# Spices for pasta side dish?



## Dirk101

I almost never eat pasta, so I have little experience with it as an ingredient, but it has been recommended to me as a side dish next to various meats or livers in various sauces, cooking it with butter, salt and pepper.

I have tried this and I found it to be an interesting combination, only that the pasta seemed somewhat bland to me. I would like to see if I can add more flavor with spices or herbs but am unsure what to try, and also wether the spices/herbs used would depend on what the pasta is served with.

Any shared culinary thoughts are appreciated.


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## CraigC

A simple pasta dish would be olive oil, garlic and anchovies. Maybe some parmesan. While the pasta is cooking, you make the sauce.


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## GotGarlic

There are many ways to dress pasta, from a simple garlic/olive oil/Parmesan sauce to a long-cooked meat sauce. And different types and shapes of pasta often work better with certain sauces. In general, thin, delicate pasta works best with light, delicate sauces and thicker, heavier pasta works best with heartier sauces.

When I was really getting into cooking, I learned a lot from Rachael Ray. Here's a sort of guide to some common pasta shapes from her magazine with suggestions for accompanying sauces and some variations: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/food-how-to/cooking-tips/15-pasta-sauce-recipes/1/

Note that you don't have to use that specific pasta with a given sauce. You could use penne or rotini for any of the small pastas in that list.


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## Steve Kroll

One of my favorite sauces for dressing pasta is brown butter and sage. It's very simple and works wonderfully as a side dish. Simply make up the sauce, toss your pasta in it, and you are done.

Butter and Sage Sauce Recipe : Mario Batali : Recipes : Food Network


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## Andy M.

You could also just toss it witha a little parmigiano reggiano.


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## pacanis

Red pepper flakes. That's something I like in a simple olive oil and pasta dish.


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## Fos87

CraigC said:


> A simple pasta dish would be olive oil, garlic and anchovies. Maybe some parmesan. While the pasta is cooking, you make the sauce.


I don't know if you have it, but salty ricotta is better than parmesan in this sauce. Don't forget the fresh red pepper, sautéed with the garlic and the anchovies.


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## purple.alien.giraffe

I love fresh oregano or basil sauteed into the butter or olive oil that the pasta will be tossed with. You can also add dried versions of these. You can mince onion and garlic and cook it in the oil or butter too, let them brown just a little and the flavor is very rich. Dried tomatoes can add a pop of flavor. Cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered and added raw when the food is plated are also good. Parmesian, romano, asiago, and many other cheeses are good with pasta. You can also dress noodles/pasta with asian flavors if your meat has an asian theme. Ginger, corriander, a little soy sauce, a touch of honey, and butter are good. Or sessame seeds toasted in a dry pan, chives and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Actaully a squeeze of lemon or lime will work with a lot of different herbs too. Lemon and basil and butter on linguine is really good.

Most simple pasta sides will go with most meats, it all depends on how you season and prepare the meat and vegetables. You can always take one or two spices and carry them over to another part of the meal. For instance, you can use a spice/herb mix of garlic, onion, basil, oregano, black pepper. Season the meat with garlic, black pepper, oregano. Season the pasta with butter, onion, garlic, basil. Season the veggie with one of the flavors if desired or leave unseasoned for contrast. By having flavors that overlap but are still different you can make sure everything works together but doesn't all taste the same. You can also keep the meat seasoning really simple and do something more dramatic with the pasta. Like just s&p on the meat but a pasta with browned butter, garlic, and onion, pettite diced artichoke hearts, and chopped basil.

Main thing is to experiment and find what you like.


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## Dirk101

I thought I was asking a simple question with a simple answer, but I've  learned more than I had hoped for. Thank you all kindly for your help. 

It's  a real joy for me to post on this forum. It still surprises me how  helpful and active everyone is. With every thread I start I end up  feeling the need to individually thank everyone who replies, but then  half my posts would be of giving thanks .


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## Whiskadoodle

One of the things I have seen tv cooking shows do is save a little water the pasta was cooked in, or don't quite drain it all. I am not sure if it helps keep the pasta from sticking, although I seem to think it helps distribute the sauce without diluting it too much. I think you only need add a tablespoon or so, and only when you think it needs it.

 --
 I like to toss pasta with pesto, and more parm.


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## TATTRAT

Steve Kroll said:


> One of my favorite sauces for dressing pasta is brown butter and sage. It's very simple and works wonderfully as a side dish. Simply make up the sauce, toss your pasta in it, and you are done.
> 
> Butter and Sage Sauce Recipe : Mario Batali : Recipes : Food Network



THIS! Delish with gnocchi for a hearty little dish!


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## GotGarlic

Whiskadoodle said:


> One of the things I have seen tv cooking shows do is save a little water the pasta was cooked in, or don't quite drain it all. I am not sure if it helps keep the pasta from sticking, although I seem to think it helps distribute the sauce without diluting it too much. I think you only need add a tablespoon or so, and only when you think it needs it.
> 
> --
> I like to toss pasta with pesto, and more parm.



I don't think it's intended to keep the pasta from sticking but to help loosen the sauce a bit with the water, if necessary, while the starch keeps it from diluting too much, as you say. And yes, add a little, stir it in, and then see if it needs more.


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## no mayonnaise

Steve Kroll said:


> One of my favorite sauces for dressing pasta is brown butter and sage. It's very simple and works wonderfully as a side dish. Simply make up the sauce, toss your pasta in it, and you are done.
> 
> Butter and Sage Sauce Recipe : Mario Batali : Recipes : Food Network



Try adding a bit of powdered milk to your butter for browning.  The powdered milk is the same stuff in butter that browns (milk solids) so by adding a bit to the butter while it's melting and letting it brown like normal you get a lot more brown butter flavor in your sauce.


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## purple.alien.giraffe

no mayonnaise said:


> Try adding a bit of powdered milk to your butter for browning.  The powdered milk is the same stuff in butter that browns (milk solids) so by adding a bit to the butter while it's melting and letting it brown like normal you get a lot more brown butter flavor in your sauce.



What a great idea.


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## auntdot

Think about what goes well with the main dish and create your sauce with those elements.

 You mentioned liver.  How about a sauce with onions and pieces of cooked bacon?  Maybe with a béchamel sauce (like a sauce soubise with bacon), or you could try a bacon or salty ham with mushrooms and a dressing with a light, sweet fruity taste like pear, apple, or plum (maybe try an apple or pear liquor or a cider).

 Let the pasta sauce flavors complement those of the main dish.


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## Dirk101

Thank you all for the information. It's already enough for me to keep making pasta side dishes for quite a while, but other ideas are still more than welcome.


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## no mayonnaise

OP here's a good tip I can't believe wasn't mentioned yet including myself:  Throw a bit of salt in the boiling water to season a little less salty than seawater.  It's the best way to season the pasta makes all the difference.

And then there's the classic pasta dishes like alfredo, carbonara, primavera, fideos, et al.

OP maybe try some orzo, feta, fresh chopped tomato, lemon juice, fresh oregano, olive oil, salt, pepper flakes, parsley.  Good hot or add chopped red onion and serve it cold as a salad double yum.

And check out this couscous:
Just drop some butter and olive oil in a pan over medium, add a cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and slivered almonds until toasted a bit then a bit of garlic cook a minute add turmeric cook 15 or 20 seconds more then add the couscous and cook for a few minutes more stirring often then add salt and water put the lid on let it sit and it's done in 5 minutes. When it's done mix in some golden raisins or any other dried fruit you like.

There's also the ever popular pasta salad OP you can find tons of recipes for it out there.  Me I like them with no mayonnaise


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## Dirk101

Duly noted.


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## CraigC

Fos87 said:


> I don't know if you have it, but salty ricotta is better than parmesan in this sauce. Don't forget the fresh red pepper, sautéed with the garlic and the anchovies.


 
Is that the same as ricotta salata? If so, we have it.


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## cara

I didn't mention salt because I thought that is as clear as a blue sky....


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

There are so very many ways to dress pasta.  Here are a few of my favorites, with the pasta shapes that I like to use with them.

Carbonara - spaghetti, simply cook the pasta for ten minutes.  Drain, and while still piping hot, break a raw egg, and add fried bacon to the spaghetti.  Stir to let the hot noodles cook the egg.  Add freshly grated Parmesano Regiano cheese.  Serve with pork and a freshly stemmed green veggie.

Alfredo - Linguini: Put the linguini into a pot of boiling water and cook for ten minutes.  While it's cooking, add two tbs. of butter and flour into a heavy frying pan.  Cook the flour until it turns blonde in color.  Slowly stir in milk to make a creamy sauce.  Remove from heat.  Lightly salt to taste.  Stri in 1/2 cup of grated Parmegiano Regiano cheese until smooth.  Stir this into the pasta.  Many people make the Alfredo sauce by simply adding the cheese to hot cream, instead of making the Bechmel Sauce from the flour, butter, and milk.

Mornay Sauce - Farfelli (Boq Tie) - Make a roux of 2 tbs. flour, with 2 tbs. butter.  Cook until blonde.  Add milk with a dash of nutmeg to make a smooth Bechemel Sauce.  Stir in 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese, and 1 tbs. yellow mustard.  Serve alongside meat and steamed spimache.

Chief's Southwestern Pasta - Orzo - Combine 1 1/2 cups crushed tomato with 1/4 tsb, each of cumin, coriander, red pepper and chili powder.  Add 1 tsp. Tobasco Pepper Sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Stir to mix.  Bring the sauce to a boil and then remove from heat.  Set aside.  Add 1 cup orzo to 2 cups boiling water and cook for ten minutes.  Drain.  Add the sauce and stir to combine.  

Chief's herbed, tomato-garlic sauce - Penne -  Stir together 1 cup crushed tomato, 6 oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp. granulated Garlic, 1/2 cup diced, fresh onion, 1/4 tsp. each, marjorum, oregano, rosemary, and thyme, 1/2 tsp. basil.  Bring to a boil and set aside.  Place the pasta into boiling water and cook until al-dente', or about ten minutes.  Drain and stir into the sauce.  Add 1/2 cup cottage cheese.  Serve with braised beef and a fresh, green salad.

Italian Vinaigrette - Small shells - Cook pasta in boiling water until done, about ten minutes.  Combine 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with 3/4 cup rice vinegar in a blender.  Add 3/8ths tsp. each, basil, oregano, and rosemary to the mixture, along with 1/4 tsp. powdered mustard (emulsifies the vinegar and oil).   Add enough vinaigrette to the to coat.  Mix thoroughly and refrigerate.  Serve with burgers, hot dogs, or with herb-roasted beef and oven baked potato wedges.

Cheese Sauce - elbow macaroni - boil 1 cup elbow macaroni in 3 cups water until almost tender.  Drain and set aside.  In a saucepan, heat 2 cups milk, but not to a boil, just until it starts to steam.  While the milk is heating, grate 1/2 lb. each, extra sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Romano cheese.  Cut off a 3 inch chunk of Velveeta, or American cheese, and cube it.  Add all of the cheeses, a little at a time, and whisk into the hot milk.  Add 1 tbs. prepared yellow mustard.  Stir in the Velveeta cheese cubes.  Add the pasta to the cheese mixture and place in an oven-proof casserole dish.  Sprinkle bread crumbs on top.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes.  Serve hot alongside steamed asparagus and fried lamb chops with rosemary.

That should give you a few ideas of the kinds of things you can do with pasta, not to mention all of the cold pasta salad variations like frog-eye salad, to a classic macaroni salad.

The only limit is your imagination.  You can even make desert with pastas.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Dirk101

Thank you for the more than helpful post. Coincidentally, the few times I _have_ cooked pasta, it actually was as a dessert.


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## Roll_Bones

Do you guys use canned anchovies or the ones packed in salt?

I love anchovies while the rest of my close family and not so close family considers it sickening.  I know, I know, but living here in the south is sometimes like living in a school cafeteria.
Bunch of children that will not anything unless it chicken tenders dipped in honey mustard.


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## Dirk101

I've actually never tried anchovies, but I can't really imagine a side dish with pasta and any sort of fish. That said, I'd probably give it a try if I had the chance out of mere curiosity.


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## taxlady

Dirk101 said:


> I've actually never tried anchovies, but I can't really imagine a side dish with pasta and any sort of fish. That said, I'd probably give it a try if I had the chance out of mere curiosity.


They won't make it taste "fishy". They just add a little "je ne sais quoi".

If you have never tried them before, you should consider buying them in a tube. Then you can squeeze out just a small amount. If you buy them in a can (not a jar, but those are bigge), the leftover ones go off really quickly.


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## Dirk101

Do you mean that anchovies also come in some form of paste? Does it retain the same taste as the actual fish?


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## taxlady

Dirk101 said:


> Do you mean that anchovies also come in some form of paste? Does it retain the same taste as the actual fish?


Yup. The tubes I buy have a paste of anchovy, olive oil, and salt. Tastes exactly like the ones in a can or jar. Very handy, especially since most of the recipes I have that use anchovies require you to mash them into a paste. I squeeze out a 2 - 3 inch strip and call that one anchovy. I also buy them in jars.


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## Dawgluver

I like anchovy paste too.  Much less gross than those whole little fishies!


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## cara

Dirk101 said:


> Thank you for the more than helpful post. Coincidentally, the few times I _have_ cooked pasta, it actually was as a dessert.




Pasta as a dessert...??


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

cara said:


> Pasta as a dessert...??



Check these recipes out:
Chocolate Pasta with Raspberry Purée and White Chocolate « « Garrett's TableGarrett's Table

Noodle Pudding Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Chocolate Lovers Fettuccine a la Mode Recipe - Allrecipes.com

There are puddings and sweet salads that resemble tapioca made with this little pearl-shaped pasta that I can't remember the name of.  It comes out like rice pudding.

That's just a start.  Do a google-search for pasta desert recipes.  There are a ton of them.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## GotGarlic

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> There are puddings and sweet salads that resemble tapioca made with this little pearl-shaped pasta that I can't remember the name of.  It comes out like rice pudding.



Israeli couscous?


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## pacanis

Roll_Bones said:


> Do you guys use canned anchovies or the ones packed in salt?
> 
> I love anchovies while the rest of my close family and not so close family considers it sickening. I know, I know, but living here in the south is sometimes like living in a school cafeteria.
> Bunch of children that will not anything unless it chicken tenders dipped in honey mustard.


 
I keep a couple of the small cans around. The fish dissolve in oil as well as the paste and the cans are easier for me to find.


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## taxlady

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> ...
> 
> There are puddings and sweet salads that resemble tapioca made with this little pearl-shaped pasta that I can't remember the name of.  It comes out like rice pudding.
> 
> ...





GotGarlic said:


> Israeli couscous?


Orzo?


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## GotGarlic

taxlady said:


> Orzo?



Could be orzo, which looks like rice.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

GotGarlic said:


> Could be orzo, which looks like rice.



I'm thinking someone called it Frog-Eye Salad, or Frog-Eye Pudding.  Yep.  I found it.  Here's the link: Frog Eye Salad Recipe - Food.com - 15395

I've had it at a pot luck.  It's not exactly a desert, but could be served as one.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## cara

In Germany they are called "Sago", but I never ever considered them to be Pasta.... 
If that is what you mean... we do it in "Rote Gruetze" (red berry compote?) 

or maybe "Graupen" which dict.cc calls pearl barley... that's what the salad looks like..


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## taxlady

cara said:


> In Germany they are called "Sago", but I never ever considered them to be Pasta....
> If that is what you mean... we do it in "Rote Gruetze" (red berry compote?)
> 
> or maybe "Graupen" which dict.cc calls pearl barley... that's what the salad looks like..


It's a real pasta: Acini di pepe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When the Chief linked to frogs eyes salad, I thought of pearl tapioca. Actually I thought of tapioca when he first said a pasta that makes a dish like rice pudding, but "nah, that's not pasta".

Do you have a good recipe for rote gruetze? Danes make rødgrød, which is probably the same thing. I haven't been able to get my to set properly with  potato starch. I may try with corn starch. Those danged red berries are so much more expensive than in Denmark.


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## dragnlaw

Whiskadoodle said:


> One of the things I have seen tv cooking shows do is save a little water the pasta was cooked in, .



I saw a trick for not forgetting to save some of the cooking water. Place a measuring cup or coffee cup inside the colander you will be draining the pasta in. It's automatically there for when you drain, fill the cup, remove it to one side and finish draining.

My understanding is that it is used to dilute a sauce that is too thick or too dry. But, as already said, only should you need to. A simple butter/garlic and cheese sauce sometimes is too dry and adding more butter or something would spoil it. You are not changing the flavour with the pasta water, only helping the sauce to spread around.


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## cara

taxlady said:


> It's a real pasta: Acini di pepe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



I found out by now... know that kind, but it is widely used for soup..



taxlady said:


> It's a real pasta:
> 
> Do you have a good recipe for rote gruetze? Danes make rødgrød, which is probably the same thing. I haven't been able to get my to set properly with  potato starch. I may try with corn starch. Those danged red berries are so much more expensive than in Denmark.



I will have a look... always invite myself to my Mum for the rote Gruetze, but I'll ask ;o)
don't you have "forest berries"? What I like most is with raspberries.. ;o)


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## taxlady

cara said:


> ...
> I will have a look... always invite myself to my Mum for the rote Gruetze, but I'll ask ;o)
> don't you have "forest berries"? What I like most is with raspberries.. ;o)


That would be great, if you got your mum's recipe.

Part of the problem is that we get most of our berries from the US and berries are pretty high up the list of fruit and veg with high pesticide residue, so I prefer to buy the organic ones.

A little, tiny box (~125 grams) of fresh, organic raspberries costs $3 or $4 in season. I prefer frozen, because fresh raspberries lose flavour so quickly. I notice a loss of flavour within hours of picking them.


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## Dirk101

I tried a simple pasta side dish yesterday to experiment with flavors, with pasta, butter, garlic and basil, next to chicken liver in tomato sauce with bay leaves. The combination worked well for me, but I found that I especially liked the smell of garlic and basil together, so I'll have to look into what I could try with this in the future.


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## Fos87

Dirk101 said:


> I tried a simple pasta side dish yesterday to  experiment with flavors, with pasta, butter, garlic and basil, next to  chicken liver in tomato sauce with bay leaves. The combination worked  well for me, but I found that I especially liked the smell of garlic and  basil together, so I'll have to look into what I could try with this in  the future.


First rule: pasta isn't a side dish. You first eat pasta, then if you  want what you call the main dish. There is some recipe where pasta is  both the first dish and the the main dish ("piatto unico"), very rich,  but real italian pasta is itself a main dish.
Said this, you could  try a good fresh tomato sauce: you fry garlic and canned anchovies in  little oil (oliva oil. Butter isn't good for this recipe), then you add  slided tomato. When tomato is a little cooked (not too much, it  has to be quite compact) you take away the garlic, add the pasta very  "al dente" (not too much cooked) with very few cooking water. You finish  to cook it, then add few oliva oil. Red pepper is really good for this  dish.


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## Dirk101

Thanks for the suggestion Fos, I'll keep it in mind. I wasn't looking to cook an Italian dish, and maybe it's just the term "pasta" that implied this. I could have said "flour and egg based unleavened dough", but then I suppose some people would have been scratching their heads in confusion :P.


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## GotGarlic

Dirk101 said:


> Thanks for the suggestion Fos, I'll keep it in mind. I wasn't looking to cook an Italian dish, and maybe it's just the term "pasta" that implied this. I could have said "flour and egg based unleavened dough", but then I suppose some people would have been scratching their heads in confusion :P.



You could also say noodles


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## Fos87

Dirk101 said:


> Thanks for the suggestion Fos, I'll keep it in mind. I wasn't looking to cook an Italian dish, and maybe it's just the term "pasta" that implied this. I could have said "flour and egg based unleavened dough", but then I suppose some people would have been scratching their heads in confusion :P.


You can call it in the way you prefer, but eating pasta as a side dish you ruin both pasta and the other dish. Listen a suggestion by someone who eats pasta every day since was a child 
 My spaghetti are really better than my english


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## Fos87

My Brother told me to be softer, to not be a food nazi. If you want use pasta as a side dish, use the sauce of the main plate: another sauce in the pasta would ruin both.
 I hope to not have been too huge, but pasta is my first love.


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## dragnlaw

Don't worry Fos87, I'm sure we all understand your passion for pasta! Usually for my midday meal, pasta will be the main.  But for an evening repast, pasta becomes the side. That's just me, of course. 

Gads, I sooooo dislike the touch pad!

But Fos87, you have to realize that many countries have their own version of pasta and/or noodles. Asian, Scandinavian, Middle Eastern, and of course  ITALIAN. 

 North Americans often use pasta as the starch part of their meals, as a substitute for potatoes or bread and/or rice.


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## cara

I just say Spaetzle....


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