Whole Wheat Pasta

Using pasta made up of whole wheat is a sure way to relish its taste as well as enjoy good health. Here are some healthy whole wheat pasta recipes.

Wheat in its natural state is full of nutrients, which gets stripped as the grain gets refined. Most of these nutrients are concentrated in the outer layers of the wheat grain, which gets lost during the process of milling, to extract white or refined flour. Whole wheat flour is basically the flour where the whole grain is grounded to get the flour.

As the concept of healthy food has caught on, there is widespread awareness about the goodness of whole wheat products; bread, pasta, and all bakery products. Pasta is one dish that is easy to make and enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Nutrition Facts: Following is a table for one cup of whole wheat pasta, boiled, equivalent to 140 g.

Basic Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 cup, whole wheat flour
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon, salt
• Water, as needed

Sift together the whole wheat flour, eggs, and salt. Add water, little by little. Knead the flour to form dough, add enough water to make the dough firm and not sticky. Let the dough sit for ten minutes and flatten it with a rolling pin as thin as you can. Roll it to make it appear like a thin roll. Use a very sharp knife to slice the roll into small rounds. Unroll the rounds into long noodles. Immediately dust some flour on the pasta.

Peppered Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 cup, whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 cup Italian hard cheese (grated)
• 1 tablespoon, black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons, parsley and basil (chopped)

Dry roast the black peppercorns, until fragrant. Coarsely grind it. Cook pasta in hot salted water, until al dente. Drain the water and set it aside. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooked water. On low heat, boil the reserved water, spoon in the cheese, crushed peppercorn, and the herbs. Stir well. Ladle pasta onto a plate and spoon the cheese sauce over it. Serve hot.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup, whole wheat penne
• ¼ cup, tomatoes (chopped)
• ½ cup, baby corn (slit lengthwise)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tablespoons, balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup, green beans
• ¼ cup, green peas
• 2 tablespoons, basil leaves (chopped)
• ¼ cup, Parmesan cheese (grated)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons, olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Steam or boil the beans, peas, and corn. Boil the penne in salted water, until al dente, and toss it with the vegetables, tomatoes, and the olive oil dressing. Stir well. Sprinkle basil and cheese before serving.