Among all the types of pasta out there, black pasta definitely stands out. Not only because of its black color, but also because of its slightly salty taste. But what exactly is black pasta and what can you do with it?
What is black pasta?
Black pasta is a pasta made with squid ink. The squid ink is black in color.
While kneading the pasta dough, a little squid ink is added to the pasta dough. This gives the pasta a black color and a slightly salty taste. The Italian name for this type of pasta is “pasta al nero di seppia.
Z warte pasta comes in different forms such as for example; spaghetti, penne, fettuccine or tagliatelle. Black pasta is a beautiful pasta that can be used well for pasta dishes with fish.
Black pasta is of course black in color, but what exactly can you do with it? It is a pasta that is not suitable for every pasta dish, but if you use it the right way, it is a pasta to lick your fingers at! We tell you all about this beautiful pasta….
Using black pasta
Black pasta is a pasta that is super suitable for pasta dishes that include fish. The salty taste of the pasta, combined with shrimp or calamari, for example, will stimulate your taste buds.
Therefore, our advice on how to use black pasta is also simple: use black pasta only for pasta dishes with fish. This combination is just too good to deviate from.
Also, the colors you create on the plate by using black pasta take your pasta dish to the next level. The black color, a beautiful pink shrimp and some fresh green herbs make your dish beautiful to look at. And to eat, of course!
Buying black pasta
Buying black pasta is not so easy. You see, black pasta is a special kind of pasta that you don’t find everywhere.
Because the ink of the squid is hard to come by, this type of pasta is often a bit more expensive than normal pasta. Buy black pasta at the better specialty stores.
What does black pasta taste like?
Black pasta has a slightly salty taste. The salty taste comes from the ink used to give the pasta its black color. The ink comes from the squid and that is why the pasta has a slightly salty taste.
You have to love it but once you get the taste once, you won’t want anything else.
How is black pasta made?
Black pasta is basically made like any other pasta in the world. The most important thing about pasta making is, of course, the dough.
The first step in this process is to combine the flour and water. Sometimes some eggs are also added to this to make the pasta even richer in flavor.
After the flour and water are put together, a little ink is added. Then everything is kneaded together well, creating a nice ball of black pasta dough.
After this, the ball of pasta dough is pressed through a bronze mold and the black paste is given its final shape. Then the pasta is dried and packaged.
Black pasta is actually made just like any other type of pasta. So the only difference is in the squid ink that is added to the dough.
The ingredients of black pasta
Black pasta consists of a few simple ingredients. In the base, flour from durum durum wheat is used.
Water is the second ingredient used to make pasta dough. Squid ink is added to the dough for the black color of the pasta. Putting these three ingredients together gives you black pasta.
Sometimes eggs are also added to the pasta dough. The eggs give the pasta an even richer flavor and cause the pasta to saturate faster. So this basically means you need less pasta per person.
Cooking black pasta
Black pasta is cooked just like any other normal pasta. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a pinch of salt. Once the water is boiling you can add the black pasta to the boiling water and cook the pasta until tender.
Always check the packaging carefully to see exactly how long the pasta needs to cook. The cooking time varies for each type of pasta. When the pasta is cooked you can drain it and add it to the pasta sauce.
If you want to know exactly how to cook pasta, check out our blog: “Cooking pasta, how to do it?“.
Different types of black pasta
Black pasta, like all pasta, comes in many shapes and sizes. Nevertheless, with black pasta, you see that the most common types of pasta are often chosen by the pasta producer.
For example, the most common types of black pasta are:
- Spaghetti
- Tagliatelle
- Linguine
- Fettuccine
- Penne
You will surely have come across some other form of black pasta here and there. However, the pasta types listed above are the most common.
Is black pasta healthy?
Black pasta is healthy. The pasta is made from flour, water and a little ink from the squid. So there is not much to be said about this.
Of course, pay attention to the ingredients you use for your pasta sauce. As long as you use only fresh and healthy ingredients for this you are always in good shape.
Always eat the right amount of pasta to balance the carbohydrate intake. In our opinion, there is nothing wrong with a good plate of black pasta!