On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:20:44 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

>My daughter and I ate in Boston yesterday. My entree was a lovely
> pasta dish with lots of roasted veggies. The pasta had a really
>nice chewy texture--this was not just a normal (in the US) pasta
>cooked al dente. Is this texture typical of some brands? Any
>clue as to what it might be, so I can enjoy this at home?

Many high gluten pasta's behave this way.

Especially Asian pasta such as Udon or Seitan (often known in the USA
as "wheat meat(tm)".

Udon is almost totally gluten and before being cut or rolled into
noodles would function well as a rubber ball. Seitan is all gluten
and traditionally way not onl.y worked for a lengthy period of time,
but had the starch washed out frequently.

I believe on my blog is a recipe for a very chewy pasta I make often,
if not it will be there by Monday evening.

Most home made pasta is chewier than processed pasta, especially if
worked for a while, made with bread flour, made with all purpose or
lower gluten flours with bread gluten added back in (Vital glutem) in,
made with unbleached flour, made with whole wheat flour, etc.

Come to think of it I will just make sure I have posted several pasta
recipes to my blog when I get some other tasks done.

Actual email is 'wblalok .at. xmission .dot. com' to reply
http://bit.ly/IJoTf holds my food blog, feel free to throw tomatoes