Bona Furtuna Paccheri
Bona Furtuna Paccheri
Rich and nutty, Bona Furtuna’s SOFI Gold award-winning Paccheri—a large tubular pasta designed to aid smugglers in the 1600s—is made with ancient grains grown in Sicily. Despite the use of robust, organic, non-GMO ancient grains, which give the noodles a slightly darker hue, we were surprised to find that the pasta has a soft, tender texture. Extruding the noodles through bronze plates gives them a porous texture that clings beautifully to sauce, improving the final flavor of pasta dishes. Try it with a chunky ragù or meaty Bolognese, or stuffed with ricotta or sausage.
Sfoglini Saffron Malloreddus
Pleasantly dense with a light chew, this beautiful pasta from Sfoglini elevates every dish we’ve tried it in. Finding saffron-infused pasta—especially in its dry form—is unusual, but it’s still incredibly versatile. This malloreddus, a hard-to-find Sardinian specialty pasta with a shape similar to gnocchi but hollow, has a sweet wheat flavor and the distinctive heady aroma and flavor of saffron. In fact, Sardinia has been known for centuries for its saffron; it was used to add color to pale pasta, so that it looked richer and like it contained eggs. Sfoglini’s high-quality pastas are made traditionally, using just three organic ingredients (including locally grown and milled grains) and traditional bronze dies and plates for extruding. Sfoglini is the closest thing to going to a local pasta shop for fresh, handmade pasta.
Sfoglini Rye Trumpets
Sfoglini Rye Trumpets
Sfoglini’s Rye Trumpet pasta combines rye, a grain rarely found in store-bought noodles, and the hard-to-find trumpet shape for a toothsome, subtle pasta that clings beautifully to sauce (much like Sfoglini’s beloved Cascatelli). Stone-ground organic rye flour—milled in New York’s Hudson Valley—brings a subtly earthy, tangy taste to these flower-shaped trumpets without adding any grittiness. Sfoglini’s high-quality pastas are made traditionally, using just three organic ingredients and traditional bronze dies and plates for extruding, which helps sauce cling to the pasta. If you don’t have a local fresh pasta shop nearby for handmade specialty pasta, cooking with Sfoglini is the closest thing we’ve found to fresh noodles.
Sfoglini Cuttlefish Ink Spaccatelli
Spaccatelli—a scroll-like pasta also known as “priest’s collars”—gets dramatic color from cuttlefish ink, a common addition to pastas in southern and coastal Italy. Pastas infused with cuttlefish or squid ink tend to be paired with seafood in Italian cuisine, and this spaccatelli works beautifully with buttery seafood. We don’t find that the ink imparts an earthy or briny flavor—it tastes fairly neutral—or that it affects the texture of the pasta, which has the signature al dente chew we love in Sfoglini’s other pastas. We like that the pasta retains color after cooking. Sfoglini’s high-quality pastas are made traditionally, using just three organic ingredients (including locally grown and milled grains) and traditional bronze dies and plates for extruding, which helps sauce cling to the pasta. If you don’t have a local fresh pasta shop nearby for handmade specialty pasta, cooking with Sfoglini is the closest thing we’ve found to fresh noodles.
Sfoglini Cascatelli by Sporkful
Sfoglini Cascatelli by Sporkful
Otherwise known as “little waterfalls” in Italian, cascatelli was created to be an accessible pasta option that enhances the eating experience with maximized “forkability,” “sauceability” and “toothsinkability.” Made from high-quality North American wheats and slow-dried for over nine hours, Pashman’s succeeds in hitting all three categories. We love that it has a good toothsomeness and clean pasta flavor, plus there are no eggs in the dough which keeps it from being too rich and tender. The thing that really sets apart this experimental pasta shape though is the texture. Not only do the ruffles, frills, right turns and curved shape keep sauce clinging on, but each bite becomes a sensory experience for your mouth too. This pasta is the perfect form to serve with a chunky sauce, Rather than finding bits of sauce at the bottom of your bowl like you would with other kinds of pasta, cascatelli will hold on effortlessly.
Pure Indian Foods Kitchari
Pure Indian Foods Kitchari
Kitchari (or “khichdi”) is a hearty South Asian porridge—a comfort food akin to chicken noodle soup or a stick-to-your-ribs bowl of oatmeal—of gently stewed rice and husked split mung beans, or gram lentils. Nourishing, filling and easy to prepare, this dry blend from Pure Indian Foods combines ultra-long, delicate basmati rice with high-quality yellow lentils that cook up silky smooth. When cooked, the soft stew is savory-sweet and rich. To prepare, simmer the blend with water until tender; for best results, cook with a pinch of salt and Pure Indian Foods Organic Ground Kitchari Spice Mix, which is a mixture of turmeric, coriander, cumin seed, brown mustard seed, ginger, fenugreek and ajwain seed. Then top with a dollop of ghee.
Pure Indian Foods Himalayan Basmati Rice
Pure Indian Foods Himalayan Basmati Rice
This certified organic basmati rice from Pure Indian Foods is aged for at least two years, until every grain is fragrant and aromatic. The longer aging process means the slender, extra-long grains cook up dry and separate easily—unlike mushy, clumpy, sticky generic brands. It’s some of the best basmati we’ve ever tried. Use this light, quick-cooking rice in any recipe, or serve plain or in a pilaf alongside vegetables, meat, or seafood.
Marsh Hen Mill Black Eyed Peas
Marsh Hen Mill sources these high-quality black-eyed peas, grown on Edisto Island, South Carolina, from a neighboring farmer. This heirloom varietal has a soft, creamy texture and keeps its shape when cooked, unlike average versions that have the tendency to break down. Their flavor is mild, nutty and savory, with a good amount of starchiness. Not only are these peas a pleasure to eat and easy to cook while keeping intact, we like that this Southern staple comes from where it's famously grown and eaten.
Rustichella d'Abruzzo PrimoGrano Spaghettoni
Spaghettoni meaning thick, bigger spaghetti. Prepare Rustichella d'Abruzzo PrimoGrano Spaghettoni simply, so you can taste the unique flavor of the Abruzzo grown wheat. Sometimes the larger spaghetti can be found served with a rich and hearty ragu. But for us, PrimoGrano spaghettoni is best tossed with slightly heated cherry tomatoes, lots of basil and a healthy pour of the best extra virgin olive oil.
Rustichella d'Abruzzo Spaghetti Pasta
Spaghetti may be the world's most famous pasta, but with its rough texture and incredible bite, Rustichella d'Abruzzo Spaghetti rises above the rest. From the Italian word spago meaning "string" or "thread," these are the strands you seek for perfect spaghetti and meatballs, superior spaghetti carbonara, the ultimate spaghetti cacio e pepe. For simple perfection, just toss with melted butter and abundant grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
