Dried pasta is good in a pinch for a simple dinner. It provides a number of options from mac and cheese to more detailed diners of your choosing. There are so many different brands in my grocery store that it can be hard to keep track of them all. However, like everyone else, I tend to stick to my favorite brands unless it’s to try a new product. When the folks at Barilla wanted to send me some pasta, I gladly accepted.
Barilla is actually one of the few brands I use regularly. Of course, with the inclusion of the new Piccolini pastas, the whole grain, and the Barilla Plus, there are plenty of types that I have yet to try. Barilla was nice enough to send me one or two varieties of each and I was thrilled to give them a whirl. I decided to test out the Piccolini pastas first because not only are they suitable for the kids, they also cook faster, and the mini shapes are just amazingly adorable.
Prep
The Piccolini pastas are similar to the regular Barilla that most people know and love. The main difference here is going to be cook time. As the pasta is smaller it does not take as long for them to cook. Instead of the normal ten to twelve minutes that the box recommends Piccolini varieties only take seven minutes. They are also smaller, so kids tend to love them even more.
The specific prep will depend on the dish. However, when it comes to the pasta on its own, it’s as simple as tossing the Piccolini into some boiling salted water for seven minutes, stirring occasionally, draining, and then finishing it off however you like. Using pasta like this is pretty easy. It’s perfect for people in a hurry and those with absolutely no culinary knowledge. As long as you can boil water, stir, drain, and tell time you can make this pasta.
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Taste and Visual Appeal
These are going to be a big hit with the kids and they make a nice presentation when you are working with mini-foods. We used the mini farfalle to make a macaroni and cheese and the mini penne was used for mini penne and meatballs. In both cases the pasta turned out beautifully and everyone in the family loved them. Our son, who is a picky eater and often shuns meat, pushed the meatballs aside though he wanted more of the mini penne without the meat and an extra helpings of the mini Farfalle.
One of the best things about this pasta is that you can do just about anything with it. I have a killer baked ziti recipe and cannot wait to buy the Mini Ziti to make it for the whole family. Thanks to the various shapes from wheels to fusilli most kids are going to be sold from the start. Meanwhile, parents will love the versatility in these pastas. Like larger pastas you can do everything from summer pasta salads to Italian dinners. In either case, they come out tasting fantastic and in some cases are easier to manage when cooking, serving, and eating.
Look:
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Kid Friendly:
What’s this going to cost me?
Barilla has always been reasonably priced in my grocery store. At most you pay a little over a dollar for the majority of pasta options that they have available. I also receive a large number of coupons, which is great because I love to save a buck where I can. When you consider that one box is good for 2-3 meals you only end up paying a couple dimes a serving, if that. You really can’t beat this in this economy. Add in the fact that the kids will be sold from the first bite and the pasta has excellent flavor and versatility and you simply cannot go wrong with the new Piccolini brands by Barilla.
Price:
Is it worth it overall?
I’m not always a huge fan of pasta, but I adore this line. It’s fun, creative, and the kids will love it. It’s always nice making a meal that is grown up enough to please adults, but the kids will like it, too. It not only saves time, but it also saves money. Of course, these are so inexpensive that with the additional items needed to make your meal, you should be able to feed your entire family for well under $15 or $20. You really can’t beat the value here and knowing that you’re also getting a good dose of flavor makes these an excellent option for the next time you’re in the grocery store.
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Technorati Tags: Food Review, Grocery Store, Aisle, Mac and Cheese, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Mini Foods, Piccolini, Barilla, Italian food, Farfalle, Wheels, Penne, Fusilli
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