"pasta sauce" news and stories

Which pastas go with which sauces, and why? Why is gemelli and pesto such a great combination, while gemelli and clam sauce doesn't really work at all? According to a Fox News story, you should look for answers in The Geometry of Pasta, a recent cookbook by graphic designer Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kennedy. The book deciphers pasta shapes (there are more than 300 of them), lays down the rules, and delves into the history, geography, agriculture, texture, mouth feel and graphic design of the pairings. Plus, there are more than 100 recipes. Hildebrand's book design features striking black-and-white illustrations that not only detail pasta in its many forms but make for a pretty dramatic, and unusual, presentation of our favorite carb, one that Publishers Weekly calls "an instant classic."

Deciphering the Geometry of Pasta

Bolognese sauce is practically defined by the meat (ground pork and veal, and sometimes slab bacon or pancetta) that makes it rich. But blogger veggie num num's recipe contains a vegetable solution that substitutes lentils for meat and creates a well-textured sauce. It's also vegan because instead of the milk that's usually added to a bolognese, she uses canned tomato soup. It's a natural over pasta, but you can also serve the sauce over polenta.

Lentils aren't the only game in town for a vegetable version of bolognese sauce; this mushroom-based sauce is also earthy and flavorful.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool for a shot of having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

They come loose or in bags, but no matter how you buy them, English shelling peas are a summer treat worth bringing into your kitchen.

A few simple tips your mom may not have taught you can make all the difference in your next bowl of pasta.

Mint is prized throughout the Mediterranean, used in honeyed desserts, sprinkled liberally on savory dishes and used to brew the sweetest tea. In Morocco, it's even used as an air freshener as locals stroll through the streets of the market place and stuff leaves unto their nostrils to block out strong odors.

One of my favorite Mediterranean flavor combos is mint and tomato, tossed together in a light, savory sauce for summer. I think most Americans might think basil is the end all when it comes to tomato sauce, but in Southern Italian cooking mint is used liberally. I remember cooking swordfish in a fish basics class in culinary school. It had a perky tomato sauce with paper-thin slices of garlic, 'GoodFellas' style. We added a big fresh bunch of mint, chopped, to a sauce that had bubbling hot cherry tomatoes popping open in the skillet.

Get Jennifer's recipe for Spaghetti with Mint Leaves after the jump.