I've recently bought a pasta machine and have been having great fun with it! My friend asked how do I make the pasta, and I told her flour and eggs. Her little girl is allergic to eggs, but she gives her shop-bought pasta(dried/packet).
When I checked the contents it says nothing about eggs, but it uses semolina pasta and water.
Why is there a difference? And can you buy semolina pasta in the shops? I've looked in all the major supermarkets, and can't find it anywhere.
2007-02-19 00:31:25 · 7 answers · asked by mumof2 1 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
Maybe eggs give commercial pasta a short shelf life?
Or maybe eggs cost too much and they make less profit? I think people generally aren't too fussy about their dried pasta, so maybe companies wouldn't sell any more pasta even if eggs did improve it.
Remember that the aim of all the big supermarkets is to sell as much pasta as they can, to as wide a range of people as it can, as cheap as possible. Even if pasta with egg in it is better (and I've only made fresh pasta with eggs, never without, so I wouldn't know), supermarkets aren't going to sell the world's best-tasting gourmet pasta unless lots of people are willing to shell out for it.
2007-02-19 00:55:45 · answer #1 · answered by Emily Rugburn 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
because adding eggs to packaged pasta would decrease it's shelf life.
when you make it fresh at home it's assumed you'll be using it up fairy quickly so it will not go bad. the ones in the stores are intended to sit around for a long time, and if it contained eggs it would probably be rancid by the time it even reaches the supermarket shelf. this is also assuming they don't add any preservatives which they would have to if eggs were involved. it just seems like a bunch of unnecessary additives.
also if they can make a pasta using simply flour and water - think of the cost of production. it still tastes good, and they can still sell it for a decent price so why make the production cost higher when you can develop a product of almost the same standard and have a larger profit margin.
you should be able to find semolina pasta in the shops. i'm not sure where you're from but you'd have to shop around i guess. if not, it's fairly simple to make your own seeing as it's only flour and water.
2007-02-19 08:50:06 · answer #2 · answered by natalia 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
most pasta will say if it contains egg or is made from egg, other pastas are made from wheats, or as you say, semolina, but this would be a much more difficult recipe for you to make at home in your pasta making machine.
check the packets, of other dried pastas, if it doesnt say egg on it, it shouldnt be made from it!
2007-02-19 08:35:20 · answer #3 · answered by J9 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Commercial pasta is aimed at a whole different set of many customers ,,you are just making something nice for your family,small group,short time span.Naturally shop bought pasta will have very different aims,mainly cost effectiveness & duration ofshelf life.
2007-02-19 09:23:23 · answer #4 · answered by dee k 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
semolina is just a type of wheat.. try this site for making pasta without eggs.
www.e-rcps.com/pasta/basics/picci.shtml -
2007-02-19 08:34:39 · answer #5 · answered by Tapestry6 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
simply because it's a different kind of pasta you can make home :)
Spaghetti aren't made with eggs for example..
With the machine you can make lasagne and tagliatelle :)
2007-02-19 08:34:17 · answer #6 · answered by Lorenzo 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
u add ur own egg...
2007-02-19 08:34:27 · answer #7 · answered by RainyDay 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋