Pasta producer in Italy

Pasta Tips and Hints: How to Choose the Best Pasta in the Market

Pasta is one of the best pantry staples that all good chefs cannot live without. Nowadays, pasta is greatly enjoyed even by gluten-free chefs since there are already wheat-free variations in the market and from trusted pasta producer in Italy.

But setting aside the alternatives, it is still a bit overwhelming to choose from a lot of pasta selections at supermarkets. You can buy some pasta that is less than $2 for every pound while some may cost as high as $6. So, what is really the difference between this pasta and how can you choose the best? Well, a cheaper brand may be more industrialized.

If you are on a tight budget, you may end up choosing this less flavorful pasta but if you have the budget, you can savor a quality pasta experience. Here are 4 hints that can help you choose great pasta from pasta producer in Italy:

Imported pasta are not necessarily better

While there is better pasta that is imported in Italy, do not think that imported ones are always superior. There are a lot of pasta producer in Italy that sell high-quality pasta at affordable prices. Italy can actually produce industrial-style pasta that can be exported to other countries.

Moreover, there are big brands that are from the USA except for oven-ready lasagna and tortellini. Before sorting to imported pasta, you can try out first the products from pasta producer in Italy and compare the difference and convenience.

Semolina flour does not guarantee great pasta

It used to be a belief that when a pasta is labeled as “contains 100% durum wheat/semolina flour/durum semolina flour”, you can assure that it is a good brand to choose. But today, you can check the ingredients of lesser brand pasta and see that it also contains durum flour, semolina, and nutritive additives.

While all better pasta will contain durum flour or semolina, so-so can also be made from such flours also. There will be no guarantee. Durum wheat is grounded to make semolina flour, it is coarser than the regular flour while durum flour is finer and a left over from the production of semolina flour. This creates a stretchy, silkier dough.

Look for pasta with rough textures

Pasta that has sandy texture and matte color are good choices. The rougher the texture means the more that the sauce will stick to it. Usually, this pasta is more expensive because they are smaller and more artisanal in style with the use of traditional brass dye. But if they suit your budget, they are great.

Look for slow-dried pasta

Another factor in choosing a pasta is how it is dried. Pasta that is dried at a slower rate and lower temperature are often the best than pasta that is dried quickly at a higher temperature. Usually, pasta producer in Italy will let you know how their pasta is dried. But generally, you can easily find this info through researching the pasta brand.