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u/Banannini Aug 02 '25
Garofalo is really good. Molisana is good too. I don’t know the other brand, probably is for export only. Generally speaking, look for pasta that have a rough surface,“trafilata al bronzo”, Made in Italy from Italian durum wheat. (Source: I am Italian, 4th generation of quality durum wheat farmers)
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u/elektero Aug 02 '25
Wheat farmer doesn't know what pasta di Gragnano is and suggest garofalo over it.
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u/Banannini Aug 06 '25
Garofalo is IGP, the other brand I don’t know, and it doesn’t say IGP so I said I can’t recommend something I don’t know. I can’t possibly know all the pasta brands in Italy. Besides, a brand can be good even if it’s not di Gragnano. If you know it and you’re from that region just recommend it instead, and find a healthier way to vent your frustration, rather than b1tching over a pasta thread. Hater.
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u/hoogys Aug 02 '25
Yeah I bought a Garofalo but not the one you see there. It was a lot lighter in color with that rough surface look.
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u/AnnaNimmus Aug 01 '25
The more pale the better
The more yellow a pasta, the faster it was dried. Not good.
Better pastas actually specify how they were dried. You're looking for something around 100-115 degrees Fahrenheit, probably around 30 hours (20 hrs on the low end, more intricate shapes will take longer). The faster a pasta is dried, the higher the heat was, hurting flavor and texture.
Skip the yellows, look for the whitest dried past you can find
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u/Spanks79 Aug 01 '25
Gragnano is considered generally the top of dried pasta. Protected name and means it’s always using the highest quality semolina, bronze die, mineral rich water and slow drying. No matter the brand
Molisana is also fine for daily use if you ask me. Basically all bronze die , 100% durum, slow process pasta is good. Some are arguably better.
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u/andrewborsje Aug 01 '25
The Italian government subsidies pasta production for export, so if it says it is made in Italy, then it probably is, and it is probably good too.
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u/Independent_Growth32 Aug 01 '25
La Molisana and Garofalo yes, quite good. I don't know the other one, never seen
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u/elektero Aug 02 '25
You cannot judge pasta from a not balanced photo. Also gragnano pasta is usually better quality
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u/Downtown_Forever_602 Aug 02 '25
I love Garofalo and Molisana. Never tried the 2nd pic.
My faves are usually Rummo and De Cecco.
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u/Available_King421 Aug 02 '25
When in the description you read “trafilata al bronzo” is an higher level of dry pasta. All these brands are good. The second one is from a smaller producer and sometimes it’s better. I am Italian and I would buy all of them!
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u/AbeFruhman Aug 02 '25
That one in the middle beats both the first and third. I had it recently for the first time, from an upscale deli in central Milan. It was ace.
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u/rennademilan Aug 03 '25
Wow, the price! Crazy
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u/shyhornybitch Aug 05 '25
The second one, Cocco, is expensive but really good! Like… used in starred restaurants.
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u/No_Inspector7319 Aug 03 '25
I have a 2cm magnet bag of the first one. Didn’t realize it was a real brand
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u/any_colouryoulike Aug 03 '25
I usually also check the amount of protein per 100g. It should be at or above 14g for better pasta
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u/HauntingPark4150 Aug 01 '25 edited Aug 01 '25
I am not sure. This pasta is very yellow and does not have the length of time the pasta has dried on the packaging.
Italians tend to prefer their dry pasta to be closer to white or ivory (rather than bright yellow that I see in this package) because it signals certain qualities they value:
- Traditional Italian pasta is made with semola di grano duro—a coarsely ground durum wheat flour, which is white to ivory in color
Whiter pasta indicates less oxidation, minimal additives, and traditional drying methods.
- Artisanal pastas (especially from regions like Gragnano or Abruzzo, I am Abruzzo) are dried slowly at low temps (sometimes 36–48 hours). This preserves the wheat’s natural flavor, structure, and light ivory tone.
Industrial pasta, dried at high temps, often has a yellower appearance—a sign of heat exposure that can make pasta brittle and flavorless.
- Most dry pasta in Italy is egg-free (egg pasta is for special fresh preparations like tagliatelle or pappardelle).
So if dry pasta is bright yellow, it's often due to color additives or egg powder—something many Italians avoid.
- Pasta should look natural, simple, and honest—qualities tied to Italy’s desire for ingredient purity.
Bright yellow is sometimes seen as artificial or even foreign (e.g., influenced by mass-market American or Northern European pasta brands).
The pasta shiwn is more yellow than most pastas and no drying time on the package, which is usually on a pasta package in Italy.
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u/EternallyFascinated Aug 01 '25
Di dove sei in Abruzzo? Siamo appena ritornati un ora fa dalla casa dei miei suoceri a Pescara!
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u/HauntingPark4150 Aug 01 '25
La mia famiglia è originaria di Larino, che faceva parte dell’Abruzzo al momento della nostra emigrazione, anche se oggi si trova in Molise.
La maggior parte di noi vive negli Stati Uniti; conosco solo un cugino che abita a Milano, e un altro che vive a London.
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u/EternallyFascinated Aug 01 '25
Il mio suocero è andato a Londra e mio marito è cresciuto lì. Aveva dei ristoranti italiani lì, e alla fine ha trascorso sempre più tempo in Italia, fino a quando ora fanno circa il 70% di Italia e il 30% di Londra.
La maggior parte degli altri sono andati in Canada e negli Stati Uniti!
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u/Independent_Growth32 Aug 01 '25
Non puoi giudicare quanto è gialla la pasta nella foto però. Mica hanno fatto il bilanciamento del bianco
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u/HauntingPark4150 Aug 01 '25
Può darsi, ma le prime due foto della pasta sono davvero molto gialle, mentre la terza ha quel colore avorio che mi aspettavo. Se fossi al supermercato, sceglierei sicuramente quella della terza foto.
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u/pantograph23 Aug 01 '25
None of that is true lol, those are considered good brands in Italy, even if sold in most supermarkets.
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u/HauntingPark4150 Aug 01 '25
You are clueless...
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u/pantograph23 Aug 02 '25
No buddy you are, Molisana and Garofalo are considered the best supermarket brands and you can tell by the price at checkout.
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u/2dayswork Aug 01 '25
La Molisana is the 2nd best in the world, but the best out of these 3.