In Italy, pasta refers to almost all flour products. The meaning of this word has expanded, and now pasta sometimes even includes fried dough and dishes resembling chebureki.
Traditionally, the word "pasta" refers to pasta products made from a mixture of wheat flour and water (or flour, water, and eggs), as well as dishes made from these products. Recently, pasta made from exotic types of flour has become popular: chickpea, buckwheat, rye, barley, and spelt, as well as from coarsely ground wheat flour and bran.
There are several types of pasta: fresh and dry, egg and water-based, large and small formats, as well as colored pasta (dyed with, for example, spinach, carrots, beets, cuttlefish ink, saffron), ridged pasta, and stuffed pasta.
Pasta with Chicken and Tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
400 g short pasta (spirals, butterflies, penne)
2 chicken breast fillets (400 g)
200 g cherry tomatoes
1 large red onion (150-200 g)
6 cloves of garlic (30 g)
50 g vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
salt
freshly ground black pepper
grated cheese for serving
STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE
Step 1
Cut the breast fillets into cubes, season with salt and pepper. Crush 2 cloves of garlic, peel and chop as finely as possible. Sprinkle over the chicken and mix thoroughly. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Peel the red onion and cut it into thick wedges. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise. Peel the remaining garlic and slice it into thin rounds.
Step 3
Cook the pasta in a large amount (at least 3 liters) of boiling salted water. For the first couple of minutes until boiling, stir vigorously to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
Step 4
While the pasta is cooking, place a deep large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the vegetable oil, add the butter, and heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5
Add the chicken and garlic, increase the heat to high, and sauté, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and add it to the chicken. Heat for 1 minute.
Step 6
Add the cherry tomatoes, season with pepper, and heat for another minute. Serve the pasta with chicken and tomatoes on warmed plates, adding a bit more pepper. Serve with grated cheese.
