Episode 3: Rye Pasta

In this episode, I explore using a different grain in fresh pasta. In particular, I chose to substitute rye pasta for the classic egg pasta in beef stroganoff and pasta with pesto.

I didn't have high expectations for this experiment considering rye's tendency to be sour and overpowering. This led to a pleasant surprise when I tasted my pasta; the rye was present and yet light. The flavor took on some nuttiness, but not the strong earthy flavors often associated with rye. (Note: this works better with thinner pasta. When I remade the recipe but didn't roll the pasta as thin, the rye was much more overpowering.)

The first dish, beef stroganoff, worked very well with the new flavors. The nuttiness added depth to the rich umami flavors of the mushroom and beef. I tried the stroganoff with plain boxed pasta too and definitely preferred the rye.

With the second dish, pasta with pesto, I found a different result. Pesto is rich, but in a different way than beef stroganoff. The flavors of the rye and pesto seemed to fight each other. They didn't blend and left me confused as to what I was tasting.

If you want to try any of the recipes, here are the links to what I used:

Rye Pasta - https://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/rye-pasta-recipe.html

Beef Stroganoff - https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beef-stroganoff-for-noodles-recipe-2121131

Pesto - https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/best-pesto

Here's a small photo gallery from this experiment.