Pasta and value pasta - what's the difference?

Petlamb

As has been said, most value pasta is 50/50 durum wheat and white wheat - morrisons buck this trend, making their value pasta 100% durum - much closer to the premium brands!

Saying that, I will and do eat the other cheap brands, but will seize the opportunity to stock up on Mr M's when it's at a low price point.

spikejrt

Incidentally on the rice front, I do the following.

Measure rice (we'll use 1 cup as an example), and wash in a sieve. Add to a heavy based saucepan. Add double the amount of water (so 2 cups in this case), I always boil it first. Stir once, put lid on, turn down to a simmer and leave it alone. Wait 10 minutes, all the water should have gone and the steam left will be finishing off the cooking. Serve.

I find never take the lid off, bit like cooking a souffle.

rogerblack

spikejrt wrote: »

Incidentally on the rice front, I do the following.

Take 2l glass bowl, add twice the weight of water as rice - I weigh everything - by volume should work fine too.
Microwave for 15 minutes on high
All the water is absorbed, and you get well seperated rice with no water left over.
If it's a little dry - use less time, if it's a little moist - more.

Fivenations

I think it all depends on your expectations. I've yet to find a value pasta that i like but that's probably because, raised as an Italian, I liked my pasta "al dente" - which in my mother's part of Italy is even more al-dente than the rest of Italy - and cheaper pastas go too soft too soon no matter carefully I tend them. Must be the flour used.

I'd give Morrisions a try as it sounds like it migyht be good but sadly, I now can only eat gluten free pasta which is yuk and costs ££££!!

Al1x

JayJay14 wrote: »

I can't cook rice of any sort in a pan - it always goes soggy.

I have used these for many years (I'm on my third and it cost half what the first did) works every time.


I always use value pasta/lasagne sheets - though I do like the essential Waitrose lasagne sheets, they are a larger pack and don't work out much more expensive and come in green as well as white.

I have a similar rice cooker (http://www.lakeland.co.uk/10619/Clear-Microwave-Multi-Steamer) ... it makes perfect rice every time! (when cooking it in a pan i'd always cook it for too long and it would go stodgy!)

rosie383

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Beware though, Tesco value lasagne sheets are 39p a packet (250g). Regular Tesco Lasagne sheets are 88p for 500g so you arent actually saving as much as you might think - clever old Tesco!

Surely you are saving if you buy the value sheets? Even pennies can count if you are on a very tight budget.

Mrs_Arcanum

Lidl do huge bags of Basmati rice which is brilliant for most things.

2oz or so per person then I wash/rinse 3 times then put in a heavy based pan (I use a 19cm wide pan for 4 of us), cover up to the first joint on my finger with cold water & add a little salt. Cover the pan with foil & put the lid tightly on top. Bring to the boil & cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat leaving the lid in place (do not take the lid off). 20 minutes later the rice is done.