The Truth About Pasta…

How do you tell the difference between artisan pasta vs. commercial pasta?

The color and texture.

Artisanal made pasta is off white to light yellow in the color, while industrially produced pasta is yellow orange to a brown tinted color. The color difference is an effect of the drying time and temperature of the pasta. High-turn-around companies like Barilla will produce as much pasta in a day as some artisanal companies in a year because their drying process is faster and hotter. This causes the darker yellow- brown tint due to the carbohydrates in the pasta beginning to caramelize. Artisanal pastas will be dried about 30C-50C for 20+ hours depending on the shape and thickness.

The texture of artisanal pasta is rough and porous, while commercial pasta is shiny and smooth. A major factor of the texture is produced by the drying time. The texture can also be a result of the type of die used to extrude the pasta shapes. If a pasta die is made of bronze, the machine will run it through slower than plastic or Teflon. Because the artisanal pasta has the rough exterior it makes it much nicer for sauces to cling to the noodle, whereas commercial pasta is smooth, leaving more sauce on your plate than the noodle.

There are studied health benefits to the slower drying process which can directly affect your digestive track, making it easier to digest. To see the difference in quality based on how pasta is manufactured, check out our selection of artisanal pastas and try it out with one of our delicious recipes.