Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Appetizers or Meryenda

Macaroni salad

Ahhh, macaroni. This very versatile pasta pops up a lot as salad form during Noche Buena, Christmas, and even New Year. You serve macaroni salad cold, with cooked macaroni, mayonnaise, sweet jelly, and vegetables as the ingredients. You can consider this as a Filipino recipe since the salad is served with a sweeter taste than other versions. Variations of the macaroni salad can involve adding shredded chicken or tuna to the dish.

Pancit/Noodles

Pancit is basically Filipino noodles. It is valued during special occasions because it symbolizes long life.If you can’t think of any Filipino Christmas party food ideas, just think of pancit. There are many pancit variants in the Philippines, such as Pancit Malabon, Lomi, Pancit Canton, and Sotanghon soup (sometimes, the noodles come with soup). If you’re lucky, the event you’ll go to will have pancit topped with crispy pork. Yummy!

Queso de Bola

Queso de Bola is known as such because it’s… well, it’s cheese in a ball form. The red is red wax or paraffin. It is actually Edam cheese, a Dutch semi-hard cheese designed to last on long trade route voyages. It ages well, and the more it ages, the harder it becomes. But not only that: the flavor becomes more intense! According to Vice, it is popular in the Philippines because round things symbolize money. Plus, the color red is a symbol of good luck. Serve this with hot pandesal and hot chocolate, and you’re sure to have happy eaters.

Lumpia

Lumpia is a popular snack in the Philippines. Pinoys even have a running joke where they’d be happy to be paid by unlimited lumpia access. We aren’t really sure where that joke originated. What we are confident of, though, is that lumpia are spring rolls made of thin paper-like “lumpia wrappers.” Inside are pork and other ingredients. You can present lumpia as either deep-fried or fresh, but the deep-fried version is more known in the Philippines.

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Main Courses

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Various Chicken Recipes

Chicken is a staple food in the world, and you’ll find that many Filipino dishes involve chicken. For Christmas, you might find chicken adobo, chicken empanada, or even a simple roasted chicken being served. If you can be sure of one thing, it’s that chicken is a popular Filipino ingredient!

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Various Pork Recipes

Aside from chicken, pork is another constant in Filipino Christmas recipes – and even in non-Christmas ones. You have the delicious and crowd favorite crispy pata (pata is pork leg), pork belly, and the lechon kawali. Lechon kawali means pork belly slabs deep-fried in a pan, which is different from lechon, which we’ll get to later. There’s also hamonado, a sweet pork dish that uses pork shoulders, pineapple, sugar, and other seasonings. You’ll never run out of pork dish ideas or recipes!

Christmas Ham

If we’re talking about Christmas food in the Philippines, it has to be Christmas ham! We wouldn’t be surprised if this ham comes with a note: “Serve on Christmas ONLY.” After all, the ham is called Christmas ham for a reason. It’s a delicious mix of sweet and salty and is perfect with rice or bread. 

Relyenong bangus

The relyenong bangus is a fish recipe that’s usually seen only on special occasions. You call it stuffed milkfish in English. One makes relyenong bangus using milkfish meat, carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables, as well as raisins, pickles, and spices. It’s one of the favorite seafood recipes of Pinoys!

Lechon

When you say “lechon” in the Philippines, it usually means roasted pig cooked over hot coals served on special occasions. But lechon is not limited to just pork. There’s also lechon manok (roasted chicken) and lechon baka (roasted beef or cow). All are equally delicious, but lechon baboy (roasted pig) is generally the most celebrated in the Philippines. If you taste the crispy skin, you’ll see why.

Inihaw

Notice the names of Filipino dishes? The names usually mean the way that the dish is cooked. Inihaw means to grill or to barbecue; therefore, inihaw na liempo simply means grilled pork. And when it comes to inihaw, you can grill many things, such as fish, chicken, and beef. 

Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas – Snacks or Desserts

Buko Salad 

In English, you call buko salad as coconut salad. Its primary ingredients are coconut milk and delicious coconut meat. Add fruit cocktail, condensed milk, cream, and you’ll get a cool, sweet treat that’s distinctively Pinoy.

Leche Flan

It’s the Filipino version of the French dish creme caramel. This custard dessert with caramel sauce is always a hit among Pinoys. It runs out without fail, to the sadness of slow eaters.

Fruit Salad 

We can say that fruit salad is definitely Filipino Christmas food! It’s another sweet, delicious treat with condensed milk, cream, and canned fruit cocktail. Some even add peaches and sugar palm fruit (known as kaong) for added flavor and texture. A variant is the macaroni fruit salad. What’s the difference? It’s still basically the same fruit salad but with macaroni. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

Buko Pandan

Buko pandan is almost like buko salad; in fact, one can say they’re related recipes. You still make buko pandan buko with shredded coconut and cream, but there are a few differences. Some of those is that buko pandan is green, has fewer fruits involved, and has pandan flavoring, hence the name. Oh, and there’s jelly too. Some people also add tapioca pearls, probably for more texture while eating this cold treat.

Kakanin

We talked about kakanin in a previous blog post, so make sure to read it if you haven’t yet. Again, kakanin is an umbrella term for any traditional Filipino glutinous rice or sticky rice cake. Specific examples of kakanin are maja blanca, bibingka, suman, and puto bumbong. Did we mention Filipinos love rice so much that rice dishes even become dessert?

(If you want to enroll in our Kakanin course, click here!)

What are the Pinoy Christmas party food ideas that you like best?

These are some of the top Filipino Christmas meals we can think of, or at least, these are the party food we can remember usually served on Christmas. Did we miss out on anything? Do you have favorite Christmas recipes that we didn’t mention, like beef mechado, or fish recipes, or vegetable recipes?  Let us know in the comments so we can be sure we have an updated list for next year.

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If you want more Pinoy Christmas party food ideas, why not try our class with Chef Chona? We call this class Christmas Holiday Bestsellers. Check out the preview video below.

In this class, you’ll learn to make fruitcakes, fresh cream tarts, and two other yummy desserts! Enroll so you can make these certified delicious treats during your Christmas gatherings!

Enroll in the Christmas Holiday Bestsellers class now!

The post Pinoy Christmas Party Food Ideas! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

But despite how common pasta is in our (and our mothers’) pantries, there are actually many different kinds! There are definitely more than 10 different kinds of pasta noodles. We were definitely surprised to know that! Our latest class offering (more on that later) piqued our curiosity about the different pasta noodles available. So we did some research on different types of pasta and noodles found in local groceries and served at restaurants. And if you guessed noodles=different kinds, you guessed right! So the next thing we did was make this list.

Why make a list of all different types of noodles, you ask? Well, as this article said, picking the right pasta types can elevate good pasta recipes into great pasta dishes. Also, think of this as a future reference. After you read through this list, you won’t end up racking your brain when you see “fettuccine” or “linguine”. So without further ado – let’s go!

The different types of pasta noodles – with pictures!

Honestly, we actually had no idea how to arrange this list of types of pasta noodles. So we decided to do it the old-fashioned way: alphabetically! Hey, with so many different types of pasta noodles, we think it’s the best way to go about it.

So… what are the different kinds of pasta noodles? And what is each one best used for?

Angel hair 

It’s also known as angel hair pasta or angel’s hair. It’s called that because the strands of pasta are very thin strands and very fine. With that in mind, you should also know that it cooks faster than the other types. Also, because each strand of pasta is thin, using chunky sauces with it is not recommended. It’s best used with cream or oil-based sauces.

Ditalini

If there was a list of short pastas, this one would top it. According to Craftsy.com, ditalini is an Italian word that means “little thimbles”. Thimbles are what you wear on your finger while sewing so you don’t get pricked. Ditalini looks like that, except that there are two holes. They are very short tubes of pasta. Ditalini is great with sauces and is also used in tomato soups. We think they’d be a good version of mac and cheese too!

Elbow Macaroni

This is probably common to all of us, as aside from spaghetti, this was our introduction to kinds of pasta. Don’t they remind you of elbows? Elbow macaroni is also described as half-circular, C-shaped, or bent, tube-shaped, short pasta. Speaking of tubes, think of the sauces you use flowing into the tubes. The result is one flavorful dish! One recipe you can make with these is the staple macaroni and cheese. They’re excellent for baked dishes, soups, and pasta salads.

Different Kinds of Pasta Noodles – F

Farfalle (bow tie pasta)

Yes, you’ve seen and read it right: bow-tie. And they do look like adorable bow ties, right? You can use them with creamy sauces, tomato sauces, and even olive oil. They are common in pasta salad recipes too! These guys are very versatile.  

Fettuccine

Jessica Gavin calls this pasta a flat spaghetti noodle. It’s slightly thicker and a more dense noodle than spaghetti, though. Because it’s wider, it goes well with thick meat sauces or chunks of meats, vegetables, or whatever is in the recipe. The most popular dish associated with this kind of pasta is the fettuccine alfredo.

Fusilli

This is a spiral-shaped pasta. Like the elbow macaroni holes, the shape of this pasta is amazing for catching sauces and dressings. That means when you use fusilli, whether with sauce or in salads, you’ll get the full flavor of the dish. Also, out of the different shapes of pasta noodles, the fusilli’s shape is so unique! It’s definitely an eye-catcher.

Different Kinds of Pasta Noodles – L

Lasagna

This is one of the oldest types of pasta in the world, according to Country Living. Lasagna is the term for the sheets of pasta that are easily identified by the ruffled edges. It’s also the name of the dish we’re sure we have all enjoyed as kids and the favorite of Garfield! Sandwiched between the sheets are tomato sauce, your meat/vegetable choice, and cheese. It’s delicious! You can also use lasagna in soups or roll-ups.

Linguine

RealSimple.com says that linguine is an Italian word meaning “little tongues”. Linguine is like fettuccine – they also look like flattened spaghetti, but not as wide. These noodles are commonly used with clam sauce and pesto.

Different Kinds of Pasta Noodles – P

Pappardelle

Pappardelle is flat like the fettuccine and linguine. This type of pasta noodles, however, is the widest among the three. Think of it as a workhorse pasta – it’s very sturdy! Feel free to throw hearty sauces at it; it will rise up to the challenge. Use this and you won’t be afraid of the sauce – whether meat or vegetable sauces – overpowering your pasta.

Penne

Penne is another kind of tube-shaped pastas. It’s hollow, cylindrical, and has slanted edges. The ridges on its body are for catching sauces. This pasta type is appropriate for all kinds of chunky sauces – the bits will slide into the holes and ridges.

Different Kinds of Pasta Noodles – R

Ravioli

Ravioli is a square and stuffed pasta – made with egg-based pasta dough. You can say that they’re egg noodles, in a way. Just like lasagna, this noodle has a ruffled edge. You can also stuff them with whatever you feel like! Fill them in with cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables. Serve it topped with sauce, in a soup, or with olive oil drizzle. 

Rigatoni

Rigatoni looks like penne, but it’s not the same. It’s also hollow and cylindrical and has ridges, but it does not have slanted edges. It’s also slightly fatter and larger. Use the same sauces you use with penne. You can also use them in salads and baked casseroles.

Rotini

Rotini is a spiral-shaped pasta, like the fusilli. However, the spiral is slightly different – think more corkscrew in shape. It also has a tighter shape. But like the fusilli, use rotini with sauces that will go into the pasta shapes. Aside from pasta sauce recipes, you can also use these noodles in baked dishes.

Different Kinds of Pasta Noodles – S

Shells

Shells are called shells because… this pasta type looks like shells. Go figure. There are actually different kinds and different sizes. Some have bigger openings, and some have smaller ones. You can serve them as stuffed shells in a casserole or just cook normally and then drizzle with sauce. Both are delicious options.

Spaghetti

What is the most popular pasta, or what is the most popular type of pasta? We would definitely answer with spaghetti if asked. We’re pretty sure everyone we know has eaten this noodle. It’s already a staple in most of our fast-food restaurants. It’s also always present during children’s parties! Spaghetti and meatballs (use a chicken meatball if you prefer) is also a personal favorite of ours. To distinguish it from angel hair pasta, let’s just say spaghetti is thicker.  

Ziti

The tube shape of the ziti makes it look just like rigatoni. It’s also hollow and has straight edges. However, ziti also has a very smooth exterior and is smaller than rigatoni. You have to use sauces or toppings that are thick so they don’t slide off the smoothness of the ziti. Get your tomato sauce and cheese, and make baked ziti. You can also serve ziti with olive oil or fresh tomato.

Different type of noodles means different ways of cooking them

You’ve seen the different kinds of noodles for pasta. You’ve also seen how the shape, size, and texture of each noodle can affect the dish. They will all taste wonderful, but be careful about the sauce you use with each kind of pasta. Remember to use lighter oils or cream sauces when you’re working with thin noodles so that the noodles are not overwhelmed. The thicker noodles are more durable so you can use heartier, richer sauces. Chunkier sauces or sauces with meat or vegetable bits are also perfect for noodles with textures. Experiment with different noodles, sauces, oils, salad recipes, and see which ones work together and which don’t.

What are the different types of pasta that should be tried?

Like we mentioned above, the list doesn’t include all types of pasta noodles. These are just the ones that we have encountered. So there are many more kinds of pasta noodles that should be listed and tried. In fact, if you get the chance, try out all the kinds you encounter!

And here’s one that you should definitely try: our latest class offering, Chef Miguel and Angel Prats’ Braised Beef with Pappardelle Pasta! Check out the video below to know more.

Learn their special recipe, as well as some kitchen tips. Make tender, slow-braised chunks of beef marinated in a delectable red wine sauce. After that, place the chunks on a bed of pappardelle pasta, mix it all together and take a bite. It’s going to be so delicious, you’ll forget you even asked questions like “what are the different types of noodles?” It’s a pasta dish unlike any other, guaranteed! It’s going to be great for your online cooking business. Customers will be lining up for more!

And if you enroll now, you’ll get the intro price of only Php799! It’s up to July 6, 2021 (11:59pm PH TIME) only… so what are you waiting for? There might not be another opportunity for this. Click here to enroll in our Braised Beef with Pappardelle Pasta class now!

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