Take the Fresh Pasta Quiz!

Think you know fresh pasta?  There may be more to this traditional Italian food than you think!

Quiz yourself and check back often for additional questions and answers!

Questions will be posted regularly, with answers to follow a few days later.  Think you have the answer even before we share it?  Prove it!  Post it on our Google+ page by clicking the button below and signing in:

Sign in to submit your answer to the quiz questions!

 

 

 

 

Fresh Pasta Quiz Question 1: April 20, 2014

Where was pasta first invented?

Answer: While the noodle was first created in China, the Italian-style traditional fresh pasta was first mentioned in Sicily in 1154.

Quiz Question 2: April 24, 2014

What type of flour is most commonly used to make pasta?

Answer: Semolina flour, which is a type of durum wheat flour.

Quiz Question 3: May 5, 2014

What is the difference between tortellini and cappelletti?

Answer: The shape. They are both stuffed pastas, but they are shaped differently.

 

 

 

What’s Your Favourite Fresh Pasta?

Which Jilly’s fresh pasta is your favourite?  Tell us!

We’d like to know which noodles you love the best, which sauces you crave the most, which combinations you think are divine, and which frozen or heat-and-eat dinners are the best way for your family to enjoy gourmet flavours quickly on a busy weeknight.

Have your own recipe using Jilly’s handmade pasta?  We’d like to hear about that, too!

Whether you can’t get enough of our Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni, or you can’t let a week go by without the taste of our Penne & Mild Sausage, we want to know.

If you feel that the whole wheat pasta is the best way to combine healthy eating and luxurious flavours, please feel welcome to share!

We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ and we want to know your favourite meals and combinations of fresh pasta in Barrie! Click the links below and share today!

Jilly’s Pasta & Fine Foods on Twitter

Jilly’s Pasta & Fine Foods on Facebook

Jilly’s Pasta & Fine Foods on Google+

Fresh Pasta in Barrie is a Commuter’s Best Friend

When you have to face a commute before and after work, it can be difficult to find the time, energy and motivation to put together the type of flavourful, nutritious, and complete meal that fresh pasta has to offer.  As a result, many commuters find themselves relying on take-out and frozen meals from the grocery store for one or several nights per week.

Unfortunately, that habit is expensive, isn’t all that healthy, and it doesn’t taste great.  The struggle is to find an alternative that is affordable, nutritious enough to make you proud to serve it to your family (and to yourself for that matter), and tastes amazing, but that takes only minutes to prepare.

That’s why we’re challenging you to make a quick, easy, affordable, and healthy change.

Fresh pasta is your commuter-friendly meal solution!

Although you might not be able to make your own handmade pasta after you get home from work, Jilly’s is right on the way and will do the job for you.  Instead of stopping off to pick up a pizza or a frozen grocery store meal filled with ingredients that you can’t pronounce, stop by our location and choose from the dozens of different meal possibilities, each of which can be prepared in under 10 minutes!  That includes the time required to bring the water to a boil.

As a proud member of your community, we understand that you have a long drive home and that you don’t have a lot of time before supper needs to be served.  We also know that getting your fresh pasta in Barrie is an great way to help you to make sure that you’re always eating well while avoiding a dependency on fast food to make sure you’re always putting a meal on your table at a decent hour.

Take the Jilly’s fresh pasta in Barrie challenge!

The next time you plan to get take out or order delivery, drop by our convenient Jilly’s location, instead.  We’re right off highway 400 at the Essa exit, on Morrow Road.  Choose from our broad range of different fresh pasta varieties, including several forms of noodles and hand-filled favourites.  Once you’ve made your selection, pick up one of our five different fantastic, flavourful signature sauces (all made in-house), as well!

There you have it! A complete meal that you can prepare in under 10 minutes.

While you’re here, we welcome you to ask about our ingredients.  You’ll quickly discover that they are all foods that you know and love, without any fillers.  It’s all natural and all good for you as a part of a healthy balanced meal.

You need only 10 minutes and dinner’s ready.

Once you get home, follow the directions for making the best fresh pasta Barrie has to offer (conveniently available online so that you can view it on your computer, table, or smartphone). Within 10 minutes of placing the pot on the stove, you’ll be ready to plate a gorgeous, tasty meal that your family will adore.  Pair it with a fresh salad or some garlic bread, or enjoy it all on its own.

We are confident that after you’ve taken the Jilly’s challenge, that one meal will be all you need to be completely convinced to replace your typical fast food delivery with even more of our healthy, delicious 10 minute options.  While you’re there, have a look at our frozen gourmet dinners, as well.  They’re all made with the same high quality, all natural ingredients.  Just pop them in the oven, and in under an hour, dinner’s on the table!

Take the Jilly’s fresh pasta in Barrie challenge tonight!

Is Whole Wheat Fresh Pasta a Healthier Choice?

Among the many types of noodle that Jilly’s offers is whole wheat fresh pasta. Whole wheat products have been gaining a great deal of popularity over the last few years as people have been placing a greater focus on the fiber and nutrition density of their meals. But are these products really better for you than their standard counterparts? Find out for yourself by learning a little bit more about your choices for dinner tonight.

What is the difference between white and whole wheat pasta?

Other than the slight dissimilarity in colour and a mildly different taste, there are some notable differences that your senses can’t detect between white and whole wheat fresh pasta. The reason for this is that the flours that make up these noodles contain different parts of the original grains.

Whole wheat contains all three parts of the grain: the bran (that is, the outer layer of the grain), the germ (which is the part of the seed that would sprout), and the endosperm (which is the starchy center part of the grain that provides the energy that the seed would require to sprout).

White pasta, on the other hand, uses refined flour, which undergoes a heating process that removes the bran and the germ, so that only the endosperm is left. The outcome is a flour that has a whiter colour, a longer shelf life, and a different taste than its whole wheat alternative.

Why this matters in your choice of fresh pasta

The bran and the germ both contain a variety of nutrients and ton of fiber. While the endosperm – which is in both white and whole wheat noodles – contains a good dose of protein, carbs, iron, and B vitamins, whole wheat packs a much larger nutritional punch.

When you choose whole wheat instead of white, you’re making sure that every bite also gets a boost of vitamin E and even more B vitamins, as well as additional protein and lots of antioxidants and fiber. Since the majority of us don’t get enough fiber and antioxidants in our regular diets, whole wheat fresh pasta offers an easy way to make your gourmet meals highly nutritious as well as delicious.

Why Jilly’s has the best whole wheat fresh pasta in Barrie

If you’ve tried whole wheat dry pasta from the grocery store, then you may have noticed that the texture is slightly grainer than the white variety that you’re used to enjoying. Some people don’t mind this difference, but others find it off-putting.

At Jilly’s, the whole wheat fresh pasta is stunningly smooth and velvety. As is the case with every type of noodle that we prepare, every bite is delicate and delicious, making sure that you’ll be able to enjoy each mouthful while still knowing that you’re taking that extra step to benefit the health of you and your family. It’s the perfect nutritious choice for even the pickiest eaters and the most discerning pallets.

Find the Best Fresh Pasta in Barrie on your Smartphone or Tablet

The Jilly’s Pasta & Fine Foods website is completely mobile friendly. Whether you are viewing it on your smartphone or tablet, and whether it is based on Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, or Windows Phone, we’ve got you covered.

We let you make the decision as to which screen is best for you: the larger screen of your desktop or laptop, or on the smaller screen of your mobile devices. It’s your choice.

In fact, when it comes to our online fresh pasta cooking instructions, we let you do both! Read them on your computer screen, or scan the QR code to instantly open the page on your smartphone or tablet so that you can conveniently bring it with you to the kitchen.

Who’d have thought that a traditional, gourmet, handmade food like fresh pasta could be so high tech?

Have Your Fresh Pasta and Lose Weight, Too!

If you’re making a concerted effort to lose weight – or maintain your current gorgeous figure – then you may be under the impression that fresh pasta is simply out of the question. Not true! This is a commonly believed myth that was perpetuated by a certain popular low-carb diet that will go unnamed for the purposes of this article.

The truth of the matter is that when you choose high quality noodles, you are actually providing your body with a broad range of healthy benefits, one of which is proper weight maintenance. The key is to make the right selections of fresh pasta, and to pay close attention to portion size.

Here are some tips for eating gourmet fresh pasta meals without hurting your diet

• Keep your handmade pasta serving small. Instead of filling your plate, try to reduce your portion a little bit and add another side such as a salad. Green, spinach, and Caesar salads (with vinaigrettes and oil-based dressings as opposed to creamy ones) are a perfect accompaniment to your pasta meal as well as being nutrient-dense and high in fibre.
• Add veggies! Fresh pasta pairs extremely well with vegetables. In fact, each of these two types of food easily make the other taste better. Zucchini and eggplant are excellent with tomato based sauces; cherry tomatoes and basil are fantastic with a good quality olive oil with garlic; and mushrooms and fresh parsley greatly enhance a cream sauce (though if you’re dieting, cream sauces should be used in moderation). Use the vegetables as a side or mix them in with the sauce. Don’t be light handed. The more veggies, the better. In fact, the quantity of your vegetables could match the portion size of your noodles.
• Cook the noodles until they are  al dente. Not only is this the perfect texture for fresh pasta, but it also encourages your body to work just a little bit harder in order to digest it. This is important because it helps you to stop your blood sugar from spiking. The more even your blood sugar levels, the less likely you are to eat too much or experience food cravings later on (particularly if you have a sweet tooth).
• Skip the cheese. If it’s your habit to sprinkle parmesan cheese onto your noodles, then try to give it a miss, at your next dinner. Instead, choose a high quality sauce, lots of veggies, and fresh herbs. These will give your taste buds all the luxurious stimulation they need for the perfect dish, at a fraction of the fat and calorie levels of cheese.
• Don’t be afraid of carbs! Carbohydrates may have developed a bad reputation, but they are actually a vital part of ensuring that your body and mind can achieve optimal health. Carbs, when broken down, provide your body with glucose, which is the primary source of energy for your body and your brain. This helps to explain why people who are following low-carb diets often suffer from low energy levels and cranky moods. This is just another reason that explains why anyone who denies him/herself of gourmet foods such as the best fresh pasta would be in a lousy mood.

As you can see, when prepared properly, you can still enjoy the best fresh pasta recipes and dishes without causing any harm to your intentions to lose weight or stay slim. Come on in to Jilly’s to discuss some of the best combinations of noodles and sauces for fast, easy, diet-friendly and delicious dinners.

We’re Making News!

When we say that we have the best fresh pasta in Barrie, Ontario, we aren’t just talking big.

Our handmade noodles and hand-filled ravioli and cannelloni are receiving 5-star reviews from customers and bloggers, while local and international news media are taking notice of the quality of our product.

Noodles and in-house signature sauces, aside, the media has also picked up on the efforts that we make to ensure that each and every one of our customers not only receives the best foods to make quick and easy gourmet meals at home, but that they know exactly how to prepare these products to be their very best.

Check out some of our most recent headlines:

QR codes help home cooks prepare gourmet fresh pasta – QR Code Press (March 13, 2014)

Jilly’s Pasta/Fine for pasta lovers – The Barrie Examiner (July 25, 2012)

Have a look at our great reviews:

• Reviews on Google+
• Reviews on Facebook
• Reviews on YellowPages.ca
• Reviews on Yelp

Come in and try it for yourself!

At Jilly’s Pasta & Fine Foods, we’re always doing everything that we can to make sure that you can rely on us for exceptional customer service and the best experience in all-natural, quality, flavourful meals that you can prepare at home.

Choosing the Best Fresh Pasta and Sauce Combinations

When you’ve decided to dine on the best fresh pasta in Barrie, then you’ve opted for a flavourful, gourmet meal that is extremely easy to prepare and that doesn’t take a lot of time. After a long commute home on Highway 400, the last thing that you want to do is stand over a hot stove for an hour and wait for your dinner to cook.

Fortunately, Jilly’s has you covered!

Whether you’re in the mood for gorgeous, delicate fettuccine or velvety smooth hand filled ravioli, picking up our handmade pasta is even more convenient than a trip to the grocery store. In fact, it will mean that your meal will be faster to prepare than the dry stuff that you used to use as a go-to option on your roughest days – and will be far tastier, too!

Put the enjoyment back into your dinners by stopping by our convenient location, right off the Essa Road exit of Highway 400.

You can opt for fresh pasta dinners that are already prepared for you, so that all you need to do is heat and serve, or you can choose noodles and our own sauces that are prepared in-house to hand you the perfect pairing.

How do you combine for the best fresh pasta and sauces?

This type of noodle is soft and delicate, so it pairs very well with bright and rich flavours, as opposed to more rustic options.

The ideal way to select the sauce to match your delicious handmade pasta is to look at the shape. Consider the following tips to help you pick the best combinations:

• Ribbons – flat, wide noodles such as fettuccini are great for holding up against creamy sauces.
  Rule of thumb: the wider the pasta is, the richer and thicker the sauce it can handle.
• Rods – long, round noodles such as spaghetti are a marriage made in heaven with tomato- and oil-based sauces, as each strand can receive an even coating.
  Rule of thumb: the more delicate the sauce, the thinner the noodle.
• Tubes – tubular fresh pasta such as penne is great for thicker sauces because the shape will hold onto a larger amount of the ingredients – and their flavours.
  Rule of thumb: smooth shapes are great for thicker and oilier textures, while ridged shapes help to capture chunkier options.
• Hand filled fresh pasta – tubes such as cannelloni and purses such as ravioli are fantastic with virtually every kind of sauce from tomatoes to creams.
  Rule of thumb: pay attention to the filling and match its ingredients with those in the sauce.

When in doubt, ask!

Fresh pasta and signatures sauces are what we do best. We’ll be more than happy to provide you with suggestions for combinations and preparations that will have your mouth watering. That’s how we know that you’ll be back for more!

How to Cook Fresh Pasta

Turning Jilly’s products into a gourmet meal is faster and easier than you think!

The first thing that you need to do is come on in and choose your fresh pasta. Since fresher is better, you’ll enjoy the best possible flavors and textures from our creations, as they are made on site every day.

Cooking fresh pasta is not the same as dry – it’s faster!

View these directions on your smartphone or tablet by scanning this QR code.
We recommend using the free ScanLife app

If you are used to cooking dry noodles, then you will need to alter your strategy a little bit, because your meal is going to be on the table much more quickly than you think.

• Start with 2 litres ( 8 1/2 cups) of cold water in a pot. This is the perfect amount for 4 portions of Jilly’s fresh pasta (one full package).
• Bring water to a rolling boil.
• Add all of the handmade pasta to the boiling water, separating it gently with your fingers.
• Stir gently.
• Once the water returns to a boil, simmer for 1 1/2 minutes. That’s it! Please do not overcook.
• Strain off the water and add your favorite Jilly’s sauce, which has been made in-house for your enjoyment.

Come in to our Barrie location today, at 49 Morrow Rd., to find out what freshly made gourmet dinner you’ll be enjoying tonight!