Whole Grain Linguine
Linguine is made from long, flat strands of pasta, but is thin and narrow. Linguine, which means “little tongues” in Italian, originated in the Liguria region of Italy. Throughout this area, the air is fragrant with salty ocean breezes and the aroma of delicious food cooking.
The local trattorie in the Liguria region of Italy are sure to feature a savory pasta meal of Linguine with a traditional Pesto alla Genovese sauce, made from fresh local basil, pine nuts, Pecorino cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic.
1. Bring 4-6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add salt to taste, if desired.
2. Add contents of package to boiling water. Stir gently.
3. Return to a boil. For authentic "al dente" pasta, boil uncovered, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes. For more tender pasta, boil an additional minute.
4. Remove from heat. Drain well and serve as desired.
Whole grain pasta is best paired with tomato or cream sauces. Pesto sauces also go well with whole grain pasta. Meat and game sauces pair well too. Green vegetables in general taste very good with whole grain pasta. Pine nuts, walnuts, chestnuts, pistachios, and dried fruit such as raisins and apples pair very well with this whole grain pasta. Cheese sauces made with Parmigiano, Grana, Asiago, Pecorino, Ricotta, Provolone, or Fontina cheese work well with whole grain pasta in terms of flavor profiles.
