Products :
Pasta

Gianluigi Peduzzi understands how important traditional techniques are when crafting the pastas of Rustichella d'Abruzzo.  He insists on using these techniques that his grandfather perfected in the early 1900s.  Strong commitment to time honored techniques guarantees quality and consistency in every cut of pasta.  The Rustichella d'Abruzzo facility is in the heart of the Abruzzo region of Italy, long known for its pasta culture.  Abruzzo is dotted with lush green hills and golden swaying wheat.  The small town of Pianella, deep in the Vestine hills, is where the Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta tradition flourishes.

Rustichella d'Abruzzo artisanal practices allow for careful monitoring of quality in every step of production.   The magic begins with two ingredients:  stone ground durum wheat flour from hard winter wheat and pure spring water from the Abruzzo mountains.  The dough is kneaded and pulled to develop gluten and then allowed to rest.  The dough is then put into traditional pasta making equipment fitted with hand-carved bronze dies, some dating from the late 19th century.  These dies create a porous texture, thus allowing for sauce absorption and even cooking.  To develop the artisanal characteristics even further, the pasta is air dried for 36-56 hours in specially designed rooms that emulate the warm breezes of Abruzzo.  The final result is pasta that cooks to a perfect al dente stage with a great depth of flavor.  The pasta has the deep golden color of the wheat fields and a slightly rough surface.  The handmade shapes bear the symbols of years of experienced kneading and shaping, the sign of true quality.  Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta is an exceptional mix of handmade and extruded pasta with shapes that are rarely seen outside of their native regions of Italy.

Pasta Cooking Tips

• Cook one package of Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta in 5-6 quarts of boiling water.
• General cooking times for each cut of pasta are listed on the package.
• Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking and to avoid sticking.
• Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta takes longer to cook than most pasta due to the long drying process that creates dense hard pasta.  The best way to ensure that the pasta is cooked to al dente is by the taste. 
• Handmade shapes take longer to cook, due to the natural uneven texture and thickness of each piece, which adds to the character of the finished pasta.  Classically they will be slightly softer on the outside and al dente in the center.
• Drain the pasta quickly, do not rinse, and save roughly half a cup of the pasta cooking water.
• Toss the pasta with your favorite sauce that has been gently heated in a large skillet.  Add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to the pasta and sauce and simmer for about 30 seconds.  This is one of the classic techniques used across Italy to tie the pasta and sauce together creating a light gloss on the finished pasta dish.