Pasta - does the brand matter?

Rachele

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Well to me, absolutely. I am a self-confessed pasta snob. I have tried just about every brand available to me, and I'm afraid that in this case the old-adage is definitely true; you pay for what you get. I have tried every own-label brand available from the supermarkets that I use, from budget to top of the range, as well as many, many other brands. I've found most of it to be sub-standard. The majority of the cheaper brands have an almost gummy consistency - which is pretty awful - because it's impossible to cook it to the al-dente consistency that I like. It tends to go from undercooked to overcooked in an instant!

My two favourites are Rustichella d'Abruzzo and De Cecco. I used to run a small business, importing foods from Italy and France for sale at my local market and through parties, and that's how I found out about Rustichella d'abruzzo. In my opinion it is the king of pastas, but it's too expensive for every day use, as it's around £2.50 for a 500g bag. I would use this for a dinner party. It is delicious and has a rough consistency which enables the sauce to stick to the pasta. It's handmade in Italy from stone-ground organic durum wheat and spring water.

For general use my preference is De Ceccio, which is readily available from my local supermarket for £1.50 for 500g. I also use Napolina which is pretty good and the cheapest of my three preferred brands at £1.00 for 500g.
 
Yes, there are obviously differences. But quite frankly I still go for the cheap ones... I have tried a couple more expensive ones and while I do notice the difference I don't think it's worth paying double for. Maybe for special occasions, but for everyday cooking I just use the cheap ones.
 
I always check the packet to see if the pasta is made from durum wheat. Some own brands mix it with regular wheat the the result is a darker pasta. Good pasta is more yellow in appearance and smooth in texture, unless it's wholewheat or made with spinach or tomato.

I do buy value pasta that is made in Italy from durum wheat and it is good enough for pasta dishes where the pasta is covered in sauce. I also buy quality pasta when it's on offer. Fresh chilled pasta is probably the best, but it does cost a lot more than dried pasta.
 
I am not a fan of fresh pasta to be honest. I enjoy it at a restaurant, but it's not really convenient for my day-to-day lifestyle..
 
It does! If you go for the cheapest ones from really poor brands, the pasta tends to get sticky and becomes a big blob, specially if you overcook even the slightest. I'm a fan of pasta, but I go for the medium priced ones. It doesn't need to be organic, or premium brands. But well known brands that I have used before and know are good enough that they will stay nice and separated.
 
It does! If you go for the cheapest ones from really poor brands, the pasta tends to get sticky and becomes a big blob, specially if you overcook even the slightest. I'm a fan of pasta, but I go for the medium priced ones. It doesn't need to be organic, or premium brands. But well known brands that I have used before and know are good enough that they will stay nice and separated.

What brands do you use Isabbbela?
 
I do think there's a difference, but it's just a very subtle one. I'd guess that you would only notice the difference if you tasted an extremely cheap one, and even then I think it would be hard to tell once the pasta is covered in sauce. I have my own favorite pasta brands that I'm loyal to, but I don't mind other cheaper ones.
 
I am definitely not a pasta snob, because we frequently use store brand, but I will say that Barilla is my favorite of the lower priced pastas. We have recently started making a lot of homemade pasta instead of buying it and homemade is definitely the best!
 
I am definitely not a pasta snob, because we frequently use store brand, but I will say that Barilla is my favorite of the lower priced pastas. We have recently started making a lot of homemade pasta instead of buying it and homemade is definitely the best!

I have never tried to make my own pasta, is it difficult?
 
I'm not a pasta snob nor do I eat alot of pasta. When I'm up to eat pasta or make a dish of it, I'll get the Great Value brand from WM. It's a good brand.
 
Yes, pasta brand really matters.
I have tried using various brands from the cheapest to quite expensive ones. Their are differences not only in looks but also in taste. The tomato sauce brand also matters.
 
It does, I think. We've always been stuck on a single brand a few years ago because we can easily see the changes whenever my mother secretly tries a new brand. We mostly like the one brand we use before, but sometimes it changes. It depends, really. I think you should try out the ones you've been using first and then decide the right kind of pasta for the right kind of dish.
 
I don't really notice a difference in the brand. I love pasta and eat a lot of it, but can never really detect a significant difference in taste or quality--not sure if that means I've lucked out with my purchases or am not very good at noticing subtle differences. I try to buy organic pasta or whole wheat but sometimes the regular type of white pasta is all I want. I rarely if ever cook with fresh pasta at home because for me it is a hassle, but I do enjoy it when I go to a restaurant.
 
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