Pasta Is The Key To Stretching Expensive Ingredients
Some foods can make you feel like you're literally eating money. Take caviar, for example — the price of these salted fish eggs can range from $40 an ounce to $25,000 per kilogram for the almas white beluga variety. Or white truffles, which are one of the world's most expensive foods. Just one ounce of fresh Italian white truffles can set you back almost $250, and you may end up shelling out almost $2,000 for just eight ounces of the stuff.
Needless to say, most of us can't afford to down foods in this price range by the spoonful. Because these delicacies are so expensive for such a small amount, it's a strategic move to try to stretch them out as long as possible. And one of the best vehicles for extending fancy ingredients is carbs, specifically pasta. While you could spread your caviar on a cracker or a piece of bread, there are a few good reasons why pasta makes the perfect pairing for your pricier foods.
A little goes a long way
When padding expensive ingredients, it's key to make sure you don't drown them with other overpowering flavors — after all, you presumably shelled out a pretty penny to actually taste them. This makes pasta an ideal vehicle, as you can make the sauce as light or as heavy as you want. For example, Martha Stewart shared a lunch with an old friend that featured a light fettuccine limon with black diamond caviar. While the noodles on her Instagram post look delicious, it's clear that the caviar takes the center stage.
Another advantage to using pasta to incorporate pricey ingredients is that you can plan to buy less of the expensive item. If you were going to serve a protein as your main course, now you can buy less of it and divide it amongst the meals. For example, instead of buying six ounces of wagyu beef per person, you may be able to buy six ounces total and distribute one ounce into each bowl. And your guests probably won't feel like they're getting shafted — in fact, they may enjoy the variety of meat, sauce, and other ingredients that come in the dish.
So the next time you're looking to splurge on a meal for a crowd, go ahead and buy the caviar. But to get your money's worth, use it as a pasta topping, not the main event.