Favourite brand of Italian style pasta?

[buckytom]

i recently introduced my family to colavita brand pasta, and they love it. it easily cooks in 7 or 8 minutes (for most shapes) into a perfectly al dente bite. not mushy through to hard, but an even, firm-but-yielding bite.


we've tried so many brands over the years, from local large market manufacturers like ronzoni and the same in imported types like barilla, to many smaller manufacturers and artisnal brands

for whole wheat pasta, we like bionaturae, but lots of other brands are decent as well. sadly, true whole wheat recipes don't lend themselves to making great pasta.

what brand of pasta do you prefer?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Partial to Barilla, have not seen Colavita aside from the olive oil.

 

[Andy M.]

We use mostly Barilla with an occasional box of Prince for certain shapes.

I'm one of the minority that prefers his pasta to be cooked through.

 

[taxlady]

I usually buy whole wheat pasta, but sometimes get other whole grain. I love, love, love Bionaturae. I have to stop myself from eating too much of it while it's in the colander. But, we usually get Felicetti. It's almost as good as the Bionaturae, but usually a dollar or two less for a 500 gr package. Both of them are from Italy. I have tasted a number brands of whole wheat pasta that were nasty.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

We have followed America's Test Kitchen's recommendation
and now purchase De Cecco dried pasta.
DH is a fan of the Rigatoni.
Me, I like Barilla Whole Grain Penne, Medium Shells and Spaghetti,
it doesn't get 'gummy' like other whole wheat pastas.
But of course, our all time fav is homemade pasta... just made SIXTEEN DOZEN, yes 16 dozen cheese raviolis to stash in the deep freeze.
It's a day long affair, so why not make it worth your while, they freeze so nicely.

 

[biscotto]

Garafolo.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I love Rustichella d'Abruzzo, although the only place I know of that carries it is 20 minutes away. Barilla works pretty good in a pinch.

 

[CraigC]

Besides homemade, Barilla for us.

 

[larry_stewart]

Barilla too. It seems to leave a larger ' window of error' than the others that I have tried in the past.

That being said, if there is a really good deal on another brand, I will stock up.

 

[jennyema]

For supermarket brands DeCecco is the run away winner.

Barilla was a distant second but I still refuse to buy anything from them because of their hideous political stances.

I have also tried a bunch of pastas that I bought at Eataly which surpass DeCecco but aren't that easy to find. If you want, I'll write them down next time I go.

 

[Mad Cook]

We have followed America's Test Kitchen's recommendation
and now purchase De Cecco dried pasta.
DH is a fan of the Rigatoni.
Me, I like Barilla Whole Grain Penne, Medium Shells and Spaghetti,
it doesn't get 'gummy' like other whole wheat pastas.
But of course, our all time fav is homemade pasta... just made SIXTEEN DOZEN, yes 16 dozen cheese raviolis to stash in the deep freeze.
It's a day long affair, so why not make it worth your while, they freeze so nicely.

I must look for Barilla whole wheat, which we should be able to get this side of the pond.

Up to date I haven't found a wholewheat pasta the I can get on with. It's either gluey or tastes stale or takes for ever to cook and when it is cooked it doesn't taste good.

I know it's good for me but....

 

[taxlady]

I must look for Barilla whole wheat, which we should be able to get this side of the pond.

Up to date I haven't found a wholewheat pasta the I can get on with. It's either gluey or tastes stale or takes for ever to cook and when it is cooked it doesn't taste good.

I know it's good for me but....

Can you get Bionaturae or Felicetti whole wheat pasta. They certainly don't get gummy. They taste delightful.

 

[CharlieD]

It's funny, it is just pasta, right? It should be all the same, but it really is not. I buy a lot of Barrila, but last friday I was at a friend's house and they had some pasta I have never seen before, it was incredible good. I wish I wrote down the name of the brand, but I did not, darn.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Barilla was a distant second but I still refuse to buy anything from them because of their hideous political stances.

I use Barilla almost exclusively. This is my issue living in the deep south.
Its Meullers or the other big name in our grocery stores.
Sometimes we get imported Italian pasta with the extruder number listed.
Linguine being our favorite.

Whats up with Barilla? Is there a good reason to not buy their product?
I am asking.

 

[buckytom]

they have refused to use images of gay people in their advertising.

prince spaghetti should do the opposite and come out with a line of princess pastas, you know, to capture the market share...


j/k.

 

[taxlady]

they have refused to use images of gay people in their advertising.

prince spaghetti should do the opposite and come out with a line of princess pastas, you know, to capture the market share...


j/k.

The CEO was asked in an interview if he would use gay couples in their advertising and he replied never. OTH, he is pro-gay marriage, but anti-gay adoption. He also seems to have some sexist views about who does the cooking. It sort of breaks my brain.

 

[CarolPa]

I am not particular about my brand of pasta. We like thin pasta, and I recently noticed that Giant Eagle store brand angel hair is a little thicker than other brands of angel hair, but not as thick as thin spaghetti. Also, for egg noodles, I like the taste of the Reggiano brand sold in Aldi's. Otherwise, I buy what's on sale.

Andy, I have always been one who likes my pasta well done, but my aldente husband is starting to win me over. I will cook it a little less well done to keep peace, and I'm getting used to it.

 

[GA Home Cook]

Groceries here in GA carry the standards. What aggravates me is that it's only spaghetti, very thin linguine and the penne and such. Very hard to find the other stuff you see people cook with on TV. Occassionaly i go to "Whole Paycheck" and get some of there's, a much larger selection, and price. I picked up some of Trader Joe's the other day and it was good.

 

[Roll_Bones]

The CEO was asked in an interview if he would use gay couples in their advertising and he replied never. OTH, he is pro-gay marriage, but anti-gay adoption. He also seems to have some sexist views about who does the cooking. It sort of breaks my brain.

Thanks.

Groceries here in GA carry the standards. What aggravates me is that it's only spaghetti, very thin linguine and the penne and such. Very hard to find the other stuff you see people cook with on TV. Occassionaly i go to "Whole Paycheck" and get some of there's, a much larger selection, and price. I picked up some of Trader Joe's the other day and it was good.

Sounds like our area. Publix will not even open a store here. They are correctly concerned that many of their products will be ignored by the populace ad the little extra it costs to shop in Publix would likely doom their attempt at opening a store in our immediate neighborhood.
I have been at a food shopping disadvantage for almost 23 years.
Fortunately, the positives equal out the negatives as far as living here.

I have to drive 20 or more miles to get to a Publix.
We do have a small independent IGA market in neighboring Tryon NC. that does carry some of the things we like.

I feel ya OP.

 

[GA Home Cook]

RB, I'm not quite that bad off. i am about 30 minutes from Trader joe's, Costco and Whole (Paycheck) Foods. If you ever get into Atlanta on the NE side, you should visit Dekalb Farmers Market. It is unbelievable and reasonably priced. Bring a cooler, but not a credit card and you will do fine. Cash and debit card only.