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When most of us cook Italian dishes at home, or the dishes we perceive to be Italian, it might be disheartening to learn that we’re going about them all wrong. In Italy, the most common way to enjoy pasta is to use a Dried Pasta Sauce.
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In Italy, sauce is called “salsa” which can be confusing to Americans since this is thought of as the popular condiment you use with tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants. However, in Italy, it’s important to note that when it comes to pasta dishes, the pasta itself is the main focus of the dish. The sauce is not, and that’s why you’ll never find pasta dripping with sauce, or salsa, over there.
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So what do they use on their pasta then? They use Dried Pasta Sauce. If you’re wondering what that is, it’s simply a blend of herbs and spices. There are many varieties, some with garlic, parsley, hot pepper, and basil for example (that would be what they refer to as “Arrabbiata” or angry sauce). The idea is that the sauce is served as a condiment.
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How do they use it? They cook the pasta until it’s al dente, then drain it. It’s then tossed in the Dried Sauce mix along with a little olive oil. If you want to try this technique for making more authentic Italian pasta dishes, a word to the wise is that less is often more, particularly if your Italian Dried Pasta Sauce is of the spicy variety. You can always adjust it by adding more to suit your taste, but if you overdo it, you’ll ruin perfectly good pasta.
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So will you try Italian Dried Pasta Sauce? We think you’ll love it! It’s a much lighter way to enjoy pasta and with just a few bites, you’ll see why the true Italian way of cooking pasta with dried pasta sauce is so sublime!