When cooking pasta, you need to dose the quantity so as not to make too much or too little for the sauce available. Cooked pasta usually doubles in weight and volume. It is dosed in a different way according to the type: dry or egg pasta. Some recipes only say how many servings you need to cook. Dosing the portions depends on how the dish is served and the size of the pasta. This article will teach you how.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Dry Pasta
Step 1. Read the recipe to decide how many portions of pasta you need
You can understand it directly from the recipe or follow the instructions you find on the jar of sauce. If you are making pasta from scratch, try to figure out how many people you can "feed" with the sauce available.
- A portion of pasta is generally 60 g when served as a first course or as a side dish. You can increase it to 85-110g if it is a single dish. Sometimes a portion is approximated to 120ml in volume (about 115g), but this also depends on the size.
- One serving = 60 g; two portions = 120 g; four servings = 240 g; six servings = 360 g; eight servings = 480 g.
Step 2. Measure the spaghetti, fettuccine, capellini, fedelini or vermicelli using your hand
Grab a quantity of spaghetti by holding them between your thumb and forefinger. One portion (60 g) corresponds to a "bunch" of pasta with a diameter of 25 mm.
- Two portions = 50 mm; four portions = 100 mm; six portions = 150 mm; eight portions = 200 mm.
- Spaghetti, linguine and all types of long pasta can be measured with a specific dispenser. It is a tool that is available in home improvement stores and online as well. Insert the dough into several rings to determine the portions.
Step 3. Measure the pipes with measuring cups or a scale
If you use the latter, put the pasta in the tray of the instrument and weigh 60 g. If you use measuring spoons, know that one serving corresponds to about 120 ml by volume (raw).
Two servings = 240ml, four servings = 480ml, six servings = 720ml, eight servings = 960ml
Step 4. Measure the pens with measuring cups or scales
If you opt for measuring spoons, know that a portion (60 g) corresponds to about 180 ml by volume (raw).
Two servings = 360ml, four servings = 720ml, six servings = 1080ml, eight servings = 1440ml
Step 5. Measure the lasagna using a measuring cup or scale
One serving (60 g) corresponds to about two sheets of dry lasagna.
When you make lasagna, usually 4 layers of pasta are made. The ovenproof dishes for this type of flan have the dimensions of 20x20 cm or 25x20 cm. A 20x20 cm pan with four layers of pasta is enough for 4 diners, the 25x20 cm pan feeds a family of six
Method 2 of 2: The Egg Pasta
Step 1. Know how egg noodles are prepared
Most pasta contains eggs, but to be considered egg pasta, it must contain at least 5.5%.
Step 2. To dose them, use a scale or measuring cup
If you use the latter, know that 60 g of spaghetti correspond to a volume of about 300 ml (even cooked).
Unlike macaroni, egg noodles do not change the volume during cooking
Step 3. Know that egg noodles behave slightly differently
A 60g portion corresponds to a volume of 300ml raw and 360ml when cooked.
