I Just Discovered My New Favorite Trick for Cooking Pasta Shells
I’m a serial snacker. Every week when I go grocery shopping, I dedicate a whole section of my list to treats for my kitchen. Occasionally I’ll make homemade snacks like crunchy granola or roasted chickpeas, but lately I’ve been in a bit of a snack rut and usually buy pre-made options. That is, until I discovered an ingenious hack for turning pasta into chips.
It’s a trick that’s been around for a while, but has been resurfacing lately. In a video, @kochen_mit_k, a recipe creator, shared a brilliant idea for turning pasta shells into delicious-looking chips. The recipe uses fridge staples like Parmesan and pantry ingredients like pasta and spices.
Here’s how it works: First, cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, preheat your oven to 400°F. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and transfer it to a medium mixing bowl. Add olive oil, grated Parmesan, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated. Next, spread the pasta mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pasta is golden and crispy. The result is a crunchy, chip-like snack that’s perfect for dunking into melted cheese or your favorite dip.
Keep in mind that this trick works best with bite-size pasta shapes like shells, farfalle, or orecchiette. If you try using longer types like spaghetti or linguine, they may overcook and become too crunchy in the oven.
One Instagram user even shared a customization for this hack, saying, “Air fry them to make them crisp.” I recently discovered our own recipe for pasta chips, which includes both air fryer and oven instructions. You can season these pasta chips with whatever ingredients you have on hand; for a spicy version, try coating the pasta chips in cayenne pepper or finishing them with a sprinkle of salt and vinegar to mimic your favorite snack flavors — the pastabilities are endless.
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