Dancing Spoon

How to Choose the Right Pasta

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis
How to Choose the Right Pasta
Even though all shapes and cuts of pasta are made from the same ingredients, flour, water and sometimes eggs the shape is key to the dish. The pasta’s role is to carry the sauce.  There are no set rules for pasta and sauce pairing but some combinations work better than others.

Sauces can be divided into six different types: meat sauce (ragu), seafood, vegetable, cream, garlic-oil, and uncooked. Pasta shapes have various names but they can be divided into four categories: long pasta (ribbons), short cuts, short tubes, and small types.

Long pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine and angel hair are best with smooth sauces. Tomato and oil based sauces work well for these types of pasta. Marinara sauce is one that comes to mind. Fettuccine are especially suited for the Alfredo or cream sauce and angel hair pasta is perfect for a simple oil and garlic sauce (aglio-olio).

Short cuts of pasta shapes such as bow ties, spirals, and shells, are best suited for butter, cheese, tomato, meat, and vegetable based sauces; they hold every drop of these thicker sauces. Large shells are usually stuffed with a ricotta cheese mixture.

Short tubes types such as penne, rigatoni, and ziti tend to be sturdier and are perfect for meat, vegetable, and chunky tomato sauces. Manicotti shape is also an ideal shape for stuffing with a ricotta cheese mixture.

Small types, like pastina, ditalini, orzo are perfect for soups.

Whole-wheat pasta products follow the same general guidelines for pasta and sauce pairing.  

For practical purposes which pasta and sauce to combine depends largely on personal preference but adhering to this basic guide may result in a tastier and satisfying dish. 

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Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

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Keep Veggies Colorful

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis
How to Keep Color, Texture, and Nutrients in Cooked Vegetables
Fresh vegetables are the foundation of both nutrition and exceptional meals. They provide our bodies with valuable vitamins and minerals and add color and texture to our meals. Bright beautiful greens, reds, oranges, purples, and yellows are a taste-treat for the eyes and their crunchy texture adds interest to every bite. The basic guidelines for cooking vegetables are: quick cooking, minimum water, and use of a lid. These simple guides will help retain color, texture, and nutrients.

The common methods for cooking vegetables, boiling, steaming, stir-frying and sautéing are all suitable for quick cooking. When boiling vegetables the first questions are always, “how much water to use,” and “should I cover the pot?” Vegetables are added to just enough boiling water to cover them. Cook them to fork-tender. The use of a lid depends on the flavor of the vegetables. Mild flavored vegetables such as carrots, corn, winter squash and potatoes should be cooked with the lid on. Stronger flavored vegetables such as green beans, broccoli and zucchini are best cooked without a lid which allows volatile compounds to escape. These last veggies should be cooked in water one-half to one inch above the vegetables. This dilutes the volatile compounds and prevents discoloration. 

In steaming, stir-frying and sautéing methods, vegetables should be cut to a uniform small size for quick, even cooking. Typically, stir-fry vegetables are cut into thin strips. Sautéing is suitable for tender or thinly sliced vegetables. Steaming is best for retaining water soluble vitamins regardless of a longer cooking time. 

These basic procedures ensure bright colored and crunchy textured vegetables with its many nutrients retained.

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Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

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About Mustard

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis
More Than Ballpark Yellow
When we think of must-have ingredients, mustard is not usually one that comes to mind, even though most of us have a jar of it in the refrigerator. The only time we might give mustard some thought is when it’s devotedly paired with a hot dog. We don’t often consider the various uses and types of mustards with their unique blend of flavors and textures.

Prepared mustard is a mixture of crushed mustard seeds, vinegar or wine, and salt or spices. Some common flavorings include honey, horseradish, cranberries, onions, wine and peppers. Mustard can be a smooth paste or coarse depending on how finely the seeds are grounded. Mustard gets its pungent flavor from an essential oil that forms when the seeds are crushed and mixed with water. Yellow, Dijon, Dijon style, whole grain, and brown mustard are the more common types. Additionally, there is mustard powder or flour, which is used in making very hot English mustard and Chinese mustard.

Yellow mustard also known as American or “ballpark” mustard is mild and vinegary. Dijon mustard, named after the city in the Burgundy region of France, is made with wine, and so it is a smooth mustard, with a rich complex flavor. Dijon style is similar to Dijon but not made in Burgundy. Whole grain mustard can have whole, coarse or fine seeds. Brown mustard is better known as spicy brown mustard.  Mustard is used as a condiment for meat or deli meats or as a flavoring ingredient in sauces, stews, marinades and salad dressings.

Mustard also acts as an emulsifier resulting in a creamy mixture especially useful in salad dressings. Given that each type imparts a unique flavor and texture careful consideration can yield a more rewarding recipe.

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Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

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Anna Tourkakis

Contributors Our

Anna Tourkakis, DTR, MPA/H
Anna's column on Dancng Spoon, Tasty Tips, combines nutrition, cooking tips, and great, healthy recipes. Anna is a Nutrition Counselor, a teacher and an international expert in healthy eating habits. She has been teaching healthy eating and nutrition for over 20 years. Her rapidly expanding program “Eating From Within” provides ideas on meal planning, food choices and physical activity, habits and satiety. She details these ideas in her presentation “Pieces to a Healthy Weight—Solving the Puzzle” which is part of her workplace wellness program.    

Anna teaches nutrition to foodservice professionals at North Shore Community College in Danvers, MA, and gives cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations. She prepares quick, easy, healthy, and delicious meals that are versatile and family friendly. Her passion for healthy nutrition and great food is highlighted in her recipes.

Anna offers personal and corporate nutrition consulting services, including presentations on “Pieces to a Healthy Weight,” “Modifying Recipes,” “Food and Fitness,” and “Women’s Wellness” among others.

Anna is a Diet Technician Registered, member of the American Dietetic Association, and the Massachusetts Dietetic Association. She holds a Master Degree in Public Administration, concentration in Health.

Anna is currently working on a cookbook and is available for cooking demonstrations and individual and group nutrition counseling.

Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA
Nutrition Consultant
Questions or comments?

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Italian Style Potato Salad

Salads Summer

by Anna Tourkakis
Italian Style Potato Salad.
This fresh flavored potato salad is a great alternative to the usual mayonnaise-based salad. The vinegar gives a tangy flavor. Slightly cooking the vegetables makes a unique blend with the potatoes. And remember, great potato salads start with the right potato. See The Right Potato-Salad-Potato.

Ingredients Salad
Serves 6

2-pounds Yukon gold potatoes
6 tablespoons Extra-Virgin olive oil
1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 small bunch, ¼ inch slices of scallions
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, reserve a few slices for garnish  
3 cloves garlic, cut into 3 pieces each
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, fresh tarragon or parsley
 Salt and pepper to taste

The Right Potato-Salad-Potato

Tips Cooking

by Anna Tourkakis
Great potato salads start with the right potato.
Salads are a staple of summer menus. Ever present at cookouts, picnics, and just about any party this time of year, is the potato salad. Making a great potato salad starts with the right potato. Choose a potato that remains in distinct pieces after cooking. The right choice is the waxy type potato.

There are two basic types of potatoes, waxy and non-waxy. The difference is due to their relative content of sugar and starch. The waxy potatoes are high in sugar and low in starch. The non-waxy potatoes are just the opposite: high in starch and low in sugar. These qualities influence how well they hold their shape during cooking.

Non-waxy type potatoes, such as the Idaho or russet potato, with their higher starch content, are ideal for mashing, baking and frying. The waxy potato, such as Yukon gold and red potatoes, with their low starch content, are better suited for preparing boiled potatoes. Waxy potatoes retain a distinct outline after cooking is completed and hold their shape well during preparation.  Usually, potatoes that are round in shape, with a thin, smooth, and lighter colored skin tend to be waxy; long flat potatoes with thicker, darker, and coarser skin tend to be non-waxy.  

The potato of choice for a potato salad boasting solid pieces are Yukon gold, red potatoes, and other varieties of waxy potato.

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Anna Q. Tourkakis, DTR, MPA is a nutritional counselor. She teaches nutrition to food service professionals at North Shore Community College and does cooking demonstrations and healthy eating related presentations.

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Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express
Presented here are 404 dishes -- 101 for each season -- that will get you in and out of the kitchen in 20 minutes or less. Mark Bittman's recipe sketches provide exactly the directions a home cook needs to prepare a repertoire of eggs, seafood, poultry, meats, vegetables, sandwiches, and even desserts. Add a salad here, a loaf of bread there, and these dishes become full meals that are better than takeout and far less expensive.

Because good ingredients are the backbone of delicious home cooking, Bittman includes a guide to the foods you'll want on hand to cook the Kitchen Express way, as well as suggestions for seasonal menus and lists of recipes for specific uses, like brown-bag lunches or the best dishes for reheating. With Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express, you can have dinner on the table in not much more time than it takes to read a traditional recipe.

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