A PASTA FIESTA FOR THE PEOPLE | Dona Elena Al Dente Pasta

Craving for a bit of Italian? The first thing that comes to mind is a big heaping bowl of pasta, covered with your favorite sauce and sprinkled with lots of Parmesan cheese. It is a dish that everyone loves to eat often, that pasta has become a kitchen pantry staple. Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta brings a taste of Italy to the Filipino home with its line of Italian artisanal pasta noodles, made of 100% durum wheat semolina.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="333"]4 PENNE (singular penna) RIGATE (ridged). The pasta gets its name from penna, meaning feather or quill. It is often used in various pasta dishes, boiled until al dente and tossed with sauces or baked in ovens. Available in 250g & 500g packs[/caption]

Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta is produced according to the tradition of true Italian pasta. There is actually an Italian law that prescribes that pasta must be made using 100% durum wheat semolina, which is the hardest of all the wheat varieties and has the highest protein content. It is the use of durum wheat that makes pasta “al dente” or “firm to the bite.” Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta is also made using traditional bronze dies, which gives the noodles ridges, which helps the sauce cling to the noodles more, for a richer flavor. Plus, Doña Elena uses all natural GMO-free ingredients in its pasta, which makes it really good for you!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"]5 The most popular form of pasta, SPAGHETTI is (singular spaghetto) derived from the Italian word spago, meaning thin string or twine. Its best-known servings are Spaghetti alla Bolognese and Aglio Olio. Available in 500g pack[/caption]

Over the years, pasta has become such a favorite dish for Filipinos. In fact, almost every gathering or special occasion isn’t complete without a big platter of spaghetti Bolognese or baked macaroni. Or maybe even an original recipe using shrimp, Spanish sardines or even spicy tuyo. Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta brings the Filipino’s passion for this versatile noodle to the forefront with the celebration of World Pasta Month, this October. The celebration started in Rome in 1995 with the First World Pasta Congress, and countries all over the world have come up with their own festivities since. After all, pasta is a global food consumed in all five continents and is a perfect fit for a dynamic and healthy lifestyle. The campaign and series of events will highlight every foodie’s love for pasta and how it has become such an integral part of Pinoy culture.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"]6 Come join us this October 9 as we celebrate the World Pasta Month and say... It's Al Dente! Join our online contest and pre-register for the event, visit www.aldentepastamonth.com.[/caption]

The campaign kicks off with the Do̱a Elena Al Dente Online Pasta Recipe Contest, which is open to all home cooks and pasta enthusiasts. The mechanics are simple Рupload a photo of your pasta dish with your original or favorite recipe made using Do̱a Elena Al Dente Pasta to Instagram and tag @DonaElenaCuisineraClub with the hashtag #AlDentePastaMonth.



Don’t have Instagram? You can also upload your entries to www.AlDentePastaMonth.com. Each entry will be reviewed for a chance to be part of the finals where the top five will have to cook their dish in front of a live audience at the upcoming Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta Festa. Deadline for submission of entries is on September 30, 2015. For more contest details, you can log on to www.aldentepastamonth.com. No need to wait! It’s time to say…Al Dente!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"]3 LASAGNA (singular lasagne) is a wide, flat pasta shape with curly edges that help hold the sauce. It is probably the oldest form of pasta in the Mediterranean. Its most common dish involves layering the pasta with alternating béchamel and meat sauces and baking the whole assembly in an oven. Available in 500g pack.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="333"]2 FUSILLI (singular fusillo) are long, thick, corkscrew-shaped pasta. It is this shape that lets fusilli hold a lot of flavor and sauces. Available in 250g & 500g packs.[/caption]

The main highlight of the Pasta-rrific festivities is the Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta Festa – World Pasta Month Celebration to be held on October 9 at the Main Mall Atrium, SM Mall of Asia. It is not to be missed by foodies, home cooks and aspiring chefs alike – and it’s best to come with a healthy appetite. The event will feature an Italian Food Fair, reminiscent of walking thru the food streets of Italy. Looking for a new recipe to try? Chef Ben Bernardo of Café Royal & Pasha, along with Chef Roberto Bellini (of the famed Bellini’s Restaurant in Cubao) will be sharing their favorite recipes in a fun cooking demonstration. Another highlight will be the grand finals for the Doña Elena Al Dente Online Pasta Recipe Contest, to see who will emerge with the best pasta recipe of the season, for a chance to win cash and kitchen appliances. If you’re feeling a little hungry, the Pasta Eating Contest could be right up your alley, where you can chow down on delicious Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta dishes and win a prize. It will definitely be a fun day of eating, cooking and celebrating, so mark the date on your calendars. The event will be hosted by Aksyon sa Umaga Anchor Grace Lee.

The Doña Elena Pasta Fiesta - World Pasta Month Celebration is in cooperation with media partners Food Magazine, Working Mom Magazine, WhenInManila.com, theAsianparent.com, Business Mirror, Malaya Business Insight, Business World, HerWord and Mommy Bloggers Philippines; and partners Masflex, Whirlpool, Tecnogas, Corelle, Ginhawa Spa and Dining, Caffe Bene and Gloria Jeans Coffee.

Do̱a Elena Al Dente Pasta is the only authentic Italian Artisan Quality pasta brand in the Philippines. It is crafted with bronze dies which leave a rough surface on the pasta, helping sauces cling better to the pasta, thus making it more delicious. Do̱a Elena Al Dente Pasta is available in 5 variants РFettuccine, Penne Rigate, Fusilli, Spaghetti and Lasagna.
For more info, visit www.facebook.com/donaelenacuisineraclub.

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