Scott Collins of the Los Angeles Times braved a pasta tutorial with Gordon Ramsay. "Would he try to psych me out, the way he does contestants on the show? Would he tell me I'm worthless and have no self-respect?" Collins was admittedly a little nervous beforehand. And just as he expected, making tortellini with the Hell's Kitchen host—the show's fifth season wrapped up on Thursday—was an expletive-filled culinary experience. The video, after the jump.... More

Carbophobes, stop reading. After a few months of testing the markets in Southern California, Domino's has just rolled out its Bread Bowl Pastas nationwide--"So good," the tagline goes, "you'll devour the bowl." Unlike Pizza Hut's recently launched Tuscani Pastas, delivered in enormous family-sized tubs, Domino's versions are individually sized: single-meal portions of chicken alfredo, primavera, mac and cheese, Italian sausage marinara, and chicken carbonara pastas, baked into edible bowls. And if none of these sound good, customers can build their own--starting with a penne base, you can top it with alfredo, three-cheese or marinara sauce, and add up to three meat or veggie toppings. Prices range from $4.99 to $6.99, and ordering online knocks off a dollar. If all... More

There's a nice guide to help you match pasta shapes to their best uses on Chow: The general rule is that delicate noodles are for delicate sauces while heartier noodles are for heartier sauces, but similar to wine pairing, it’s not always that simple. The pictures are as beautiful as the info is useful.... More

This cream of tomato sauce from Christina, of Doesn't TaZte Like Chicken, is a supremely rich reduction inspired by Heston Blumenthal's bolognese recipe. Christina's two secrets here are cream and reduction, leading to a thick and intense flavor. The sauce is reduced twice, so it takes a bit of time. It's probably best to save this recipe for a lazy afternoon. The color of the gorgeous sauce practically screams, "Eat me, it's freezing outside!" Paired with a copious amount of red wine, you'll be thanking me.... More

Photograph from notinponce on Flickr Salted Water for Boiling is easily Epicurious' most commented-on recipe, with 801 responses at last count. The thread has become a treasure trove of sarcastic comments: I am frustrated with these "advanced" recipes. Does everyone think we're ALL professional chefs?? I can't tell at what point to add the salt, and what kind of salt? Kosher? Fleur de Sal? Iodized? And then what kind of water? Tap? Distilled? Artesian? How long do I boil it? I am so confused. Please, Epicurious, screen your recipes better. Don't waste your time on this one. I substituted leftover hot dogs for the salt, and used a combination of maple syrup and salsa instead of water, and it didn't... More

Switzerland has been keeping a little secret from us: they grow spaghetti. On trees. During the spring of 1957, the crop was especially fertile. The pasta strands hung there like any apple or pear would, and farmers reaped the noodly harvest. Now, if only they could get their act together on a meatball bush. We linked to this back in April of 2007, but the BBC investigative report on spaghetti farming was a little difficult to navigate. Here it is, easy peasy, after the jump.... More

I'm trying to cook at home a bit more these days. (The economy, you know?) And one of the easiest meals to whip up quickly is, of course, a pasta dish. French Revolution's bechamel-based Wagon Wheels with Sauce Roquefort recipe is so simple and quick that you won't think twice about using your favorite jarred sauce. Note: SE intern extraordinaire Kerry Saretsky is the force behind French Revolution. Kerry usually writes the Blogwatch entries and is much too modest to toot her own horn, so I'm doing it for her today. Or, as Erin put it, "Who Blogwatches the Blogwatcher?"... More

When I think of the success of the Mini Cooper or the Smart car across the pond, I realize how much those Europeans love everyday essentials in miniature. And now Italian pasta company Barilla takes the trend one step further with its Piccolini, five old pasta shapes that newly come in "mini-me" sizes. To go with the little cars, Barilla now makes little wheels, my absolute favorite, but hard to find, pasta shape. When craving wagon wheels, I have to walk to the gourmet market to buy De Cecco's, but the trip is a hassle when I want a quick pasta dinner, and frankly, no matter how much I try to retain their al dente integrity, they come out mushy.... More

Joe Dilley, owner and operator of Joe's Guide Service in Alaska, can't get enough Moose-ghetti. It's one of his favorite meals in the crock pot, he told NPR, sounding a bit bashful. Besides the Alaskan-Italian fusion dish, he was full of moose cooking tips. How do you prep the meat? You let a little bit of white mold grow on it. The natural enzymes in the meat start breaking it down from being a tough chunk of muscle. Yum, white mold. Almost as good as yesterday's image of a Bic razor shaving a furry moose snout, before it gets boiled in salt water and eventually tastes like beef tongue. Three weeks since the Republican veep nomination, journalists are finally churning... More

Doesn't this strategically placed pasta scarf make you want to order a Marcato brand pasta machine? Leave it to a half-naked woman to sell just about anything. Call the long distance Italian number if the marketing tactic worked (or you're just craving homemade pasta). [via Erin Doland]... More