# Dried pasta



## JustJoel (Jan 16, 2019)

Our local supermarket sells 4 brands of dried pasta. I usually go for the cheapest, but always wondered if that was a mistake. Is there a difference between the brands? Does one taste better than the other?


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## taxlady (Jan 16, 2019)

My favourite brand is Bionaturae. It's from Italy and it's so good that I have to stop myself from munching too much of it while it's draining in the colander.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 16, 2019)

I buy whatever brand is on sale at Kroger, and sometimes the store brand. I also occasionally buy unusual shapes imported from Italy at TJ Maxx. I've never noticed a difference in flavor, except that the different shapes have a different mouth feel.


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## Cheryl J (Jan 16, 2019)

I've never noticed any difference in dried pasta brands.  I made spaghetti today and had Barilla brand in the pantry, so that's what I used. I've also used store brands.   IMO, dried pasta is dried pasta and it's more about the sauce.


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## Caslon (Jan 17, 2019)

I asked this a few days ago, heheh. Is pasta not pasta?  Some say to try each and decide for yourself.  

Question: Can one cook up a batch of spaghetti just right for freezing and store it? 
I only ask this for convenience sakes. I have frozen meat sauce.  Can spaghetti be cooked up and frozen up too, just for convenience sakes ?  I have the perfect flat round Rubbermaid containers to put it in.


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## JustJoel (Jan 17, 2019)

Caslon said:


> I asked this a few days ago, heheh. Is pasta not pasta?  Some say to try each and decide for yourself.
> 
> Question: Can one cook up a batch of spaghetti just right for freezing and store it?
> I only ask this for convenience sakes. I have frozen meat sauce.  Can spaghetti be cooked up and frozen up too, just for convenience sakes ?  I have the perfect flat round Rubbermaid containers to put it in.


Good question, Caslon! I’m really bad at judging how much pasta to make and often end up with too much. I’ve refrigerated pasta, but it’s usually sauced. It heats up really well.

Perhaps if you vacuum packed it, it would freeze well? Anybody?


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## JustJoel (Jan 17, 2019)

Cheryl J said:


> I've never noticed any difference in dried pasta brands.  I made spaghetti today and had Barilla brand in the pantry, so that's what I used. I've also used store brands.   IMO, dried pasta is dried pasta and it's more about the sauce.


That’s pretty much how I feel, Cheryl. I’ve never made pasta and thought “Wow! This is lots better than the pasta I usually use,” or “Yuch, I’m never buying THIS pasta again!”


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## JustJoel (Jan 17, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> I buy whatever brand is on sale at Kroger, and sometimes the store brand. I also occasionally buy unusual shapes imported from Italy at TJ Maxx. I've never noticed a difference in flavor, except that the different shapes have a different mouth feel.


The shape is certainly important, GG. Some shapes hold the sauce better. And Mark doesn’t like spaghetti, fettuccine, or any other “long” pasta; he claims it’s hard to eat! I read an article just the other day about matching the pasta to the sauce.


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## JustJoel (Jan 17, 2019)

taxlady said:


> My favourite brand is Bionaturae. It's from Italy and it's so good that I have to stop myself from munching too much of it while it's draining in the colander.


I don’t think I’ve ever seen that brand at Smith’s or Albertsons. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it!


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## taxlady (Jan 17, 2019)

I have only ever bought the whole grain Bionaturae, but they do make white flour pasta. I started buying imported Italian pasta because so much domestic whole grain pasta is unpleasant. I have always had good luck with the imported Italian stuff, but the Bionaturae is my favourite.


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## pepperhead212 (Jan 17, 2019)

I'm another that gets what's on sale, and sometimes generic brands.  However, years ago, I found that San Giorgio pasta would soften much faster than others - around 5 min, compared to 7-9 min for other brands.  No difference in flavor, except with egg noodles, but I rarely buy them  - cheaper to make, and definitely better!


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## Caslon (Jan 17, 2019)

I'm gonna try and boil up spaghetti and freeze it. See how it thaws out. Maybe undercook it so that when I microwave it back up with a splash of water, it microwaves up okay. Into flat RubberMaid storage containers with lids.


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## CraigC (Jan 17, 2019)

We prefer Barilla and stock up when BoGo. I really like the spaghetti ragetti.


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## larry_stewart (Jan 17, 2019)

I never notices much ( if any) difference in taste, but as far as consistency when cooking, Barilla seems to be the most fool proof.  That doesn't mean other varieties can't be equaly ( if not better) as good.  I just remember an Italian friend saying it was the only brand he used, due to its nailing al dente every time.  I didn't believe him, and kinda shrugged it off, until I tried it.  Could have just been a good day for me, but I've been consistent ever since.  All that being said, if there is a good deal on Ronzoni or another notable brand, I have no problems switching teams for a bargain, But, don't try cooking two different brands at the same time in the same pot, its more than likely they have different cooking qualities and could possible end in disaster.


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## JustJoel (Jan 17, 2019)

I read a few ratings on the Internet. According to those sites, the best nationally available pasta brand is De Cecco. Too bad my local Smith’s doesn’t carry it! And the difference between different brands seems to boil down to how well the pasta holds sauce and the al dente texture of the pasta. Apparently unless you use imported pasta that can cost as much as $20 a pound, you won’t notice too much difference between brands.


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## buckytom (Jan 18, 2019)

We buy several brands: DeCecco, Barilla, Ronzoni, DelAllo, Rusticella, and Colavita.

I'm surprised everyone just seems to buy whatever is on sale. In years past, there were some strong opinions about this.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 18, 2019)

I was grocery shopping at Kroger yesterday and noticed that their premium store brand is on sale. I checked the label and it's imported from Italy. I often use this brand because they are bronze cut and Serious Eats says bronze cut is more desirable because it holds the sauce better. $1.89 BOGO. 



> "Soft metal dies like gold or bronze," Mantuano points out, "create more grooves and grain along the pasta edges that allows for the sauce to grasp onto the pasta and create a wonderful flavor." Pasta made this way is more expensive, because the tough dough breaks down the pricey extruders over time, but the gain is well worth it—a pasta that clings more tightly to its sauce.



https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/pasta-pairing.html


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## JustJoel (Jan 18, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> I was grocery shopping at Kroger yesterday and noticed that their premium store brand is on sale. I checked the label and it's imported from Italy. I often use this brand because they are bronze cut and Serious Eats says bronze cut is more desirable because it holds the sauce better. $1.89 BOGO.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/pasta-pairing.htmlView attachment 33139


The same store brand - Private Selection - is on sale at the local Smith’s here 10 for $10. (Smith’s is a Kroger store.) 

Gonna stock up today!


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## jennyema (Jan 18, 2019)

I'm an outlier, I guess because I think there is a noticeable difference in taste and texture between brands.

I usually buy *DeCecco*, which, to me, is hands down the best I can buy in my grocery store.  I also buy Barilla when its on sale.


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## buckytom (Jan 18, 2019)

jennyema said:


> I think there is a noticeable difference in taste and texture between brands.



I absolutely agree. We eat pasta at least once a week, both at home and in restaurants. We often comment if a restaurant has particularly good pasta and will ask the waitstaff if they know the brand (unless, of course, it's fresh pasta that they made).


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Jan 18, 2019)

jennyema said:


> I'm an outlier, I guess because* I think there is a noticeable difference in taste and texture between brands.
> *
> I usually buy *DeCecco*, which, to me, is hands down the best I can buy in my grocery store.  I also buy Barilla when its on sale.



+2 jenny !!


We DO find a difference in taste as well as texture between dried Pasta brands.
I also look for DeCecco first, but here in Cowboyville, in the middle of the desert, it's not easy to find.
So my second choice is Barilla. 

Now here's another rub for me...  We do enjoy Whole Wheat dried Pasta, and I was buying Barilla brans, which we prefer for texture sake, but now that we live in Cowboyville, I was told by each store manager (we only have three in our area) that it just doesn't sell, so they ALL discontinued it.  I have to wait till we go to a large town to stock up 

hmmm 
homemade whole wheat pasta? 
dunno, never tried that before
… let's look into that shall we … 
Homemade Pasta is always THE best in our house over any other sort.


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## taxlady (Jan 18, 2019)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> +2 jenny !!
> 
> 
> We DO find a difference in taste as well as texture between dried Pasta brands.
> ...


 I used to make homemade wholewheat pasta. It works fine. I use hard wholewheat flour and regular pasta recipes. Actually, I usually just take some flour and stir in enough water to make a dough of the right consistency.

No Italian or ethnic stores? What about a health food store? I buy most of my imported Italian wholewheat pasta at the health food store or in the health food section of the supermarket.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Jan 18, 2019)

taxlady said:


> I used to make homemade wholewheat pasta. It works fine. I use hard wholewheat flour and regular pasta recipes. Actually, I usually just take some flour and stir in enough water to make a dough of the right consistency.
> 
> *No Italian or ethnic stores?* What about a health food store? I buy most of my imported Italian wholewheat pasta at the health food store or in the health food section of the supermarket.



Oh my gosh, no, no Italian or any other ethnic stores, well, I take that back, there is a very small Asian Market, but she doesn't carry much, don't know how she stays open, must be a front for something else 

As to health foods stores, never looked there.  We have one way over three towns up from us, but I'll look, for sure.
We tried other brands of Commercial Whole Wheat Dried Pasta, but only cared for the Barilla brand.

`Member now, this is REAL Cowboyville! (I can't say that around DH, he gets very perturbed and then insists that we move )
They are Meat & Potatoes only!  No fish, No funny stuff like Asian foods and the sort … I am surprised that they do like "Eye-talian" food though.  We have several Pasta Joints.  Let me also say that the restaurant scene is a whole lot better than were we came from in Southern Arizona.


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## pepperhead212 (Jan 18, 2019)

Speaking of Asian and whole wheat, something that can be used to make WW pasta is atta flour - WW durum flour, and, after all, durum is the preferred wheat for pasta.  It is found in Indian markets; Amazon had a good buy on it, but only as an "add-on" - shipping is high, due to the weight of these types of things.


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## Addie (Jan 18, 2019)

When I lived a couple of towns away, there was a "Fresh Pasta" store right around the corner from my home. The only drawback was, "I HAD" to wait for her to make it for me. But it was so gooood! If I do buy it, I try to get freshly made pasta in the refrigerator section. Or I make my own. On the rare times I don't feel up to making it, I buy the house brand. I can get at least three or four meals from one box. Whereas, when I make my own, or buy the fresh made one, it is just enough for one meal for the two of us. I always try to have at least one box of long pasta and one box of a shaped one on hand in case of emergencies. 

Like making your own bread, I find making my own pasta very calming.


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## Caslon (Jan 19, 2019)

I might detect pasta tasting better, made and boiled up fresh other than the dry (Ronco.  His machine that mixed up flour and water and squeezed it out in any form, ready to boil).


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## pepperhead212 (Jan 19, 2019)

I never make fresh pasta with just water and flour - always eggs, usually just eggs, but for lo mein, half the eggs and a little water for the rest of the moisture seems more authentic.  

I have tried 00 flour in pasta - something I have seen suggested in several places - but I was not impressed, as it has more starch and less flavor than AP flour.  However, the best pasta I have made is with an artisan flour, which I got for making bread, and it makes the best tasting white bread! So I tried it with pasta.  The gluten is in between AP and bread flour, and the flour is slightly darker, as less is removed in the milling, to make the flour, and this is what gives it flavor.
https://shop.honeyville.com/alta-artisan-unbleached-flour.html


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## pepperhead212 (Jan 19, 2019)

Hmmmm...maybe this is why some of those dried pastas from Italy taste better - they have sources for these types of "artisan flour", durum, for pasta, as bakers do in specialty bakeries.


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## taxlady (Jan 20, 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d29iYpoavlc&feature=youtu.be


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Jan 20, 2019)

IMHO, sorry, the best Fresh Pasta I've ever made was with Semolina, YUM! 
I went hunting for it today in "Cowboyville" and I could not find it!
Again, I'll need to wait until we go into the "Big City" to find it, stock up and hoard...


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## RPCookin (Jan 20, 2019)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> IMHO, sorry, the best Fresh Pasta I've ever made was with Semolina, YUM!
> I went hunting for it today in "Cowboyville" and I could not find it!
> Again, I'll need to wait until we go into the "Big City" to find it, stock up and hoard...



I'm an hour away from my nearest Safeway, and more than 2 hours to the nearest King Soopers (Kroger) in Denver.  That said, I've really never been able to notice any difference between brands of dry pasta.  I'm having Barilla farfalla with a shrimp dish for Sunday dinner today.  The store I mostly shop here is small, only had Barilla and their store brand, and they didn't have the bow ties in the store brand.  

I guess that it's times like this when I'm glad that I'm not particularly picky.


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## Addie (Jan 20, 2019)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> IMHO, sorry, the best Fresh Pasta I've ever made was with Semolina, YUM!
> I went hunting for it today in "Cowboyville" and I could not find it!
> Again, I'll need to wait until we go into the "Big City" to find it, stock up and hoard...



Using semolina flour really does help make a stronger and tastier pasta. I bought a bag of it, used some the last time I made it, (before all the health problems) and now it is sitting in a canister just waiting for me to remember it is there. I have been entertaining the idea of making some this week. A great time to do it. Can't go out in this crappy weather. May as well stay in and put my stocked up energy to good use.


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## tenspeed (Jan 20, 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=945ZeQVKyuk


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## taxlady (Jan 20, 2019)

tenspeed said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=945ZeQVKyuk


Thank you for sharing this. I didn't realize soft flour was ever used for pasta making. It explains why I don't need egg in the pasta I make. I have always used hard flour to make pasta. Live and learn.


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## tenspeed (Jan 20, 2019)

taxlady said:


> Thank you for sharing this. I didn't realize soft flour was ever used for pasta making. It explains why I don't need egg in the pasta I make. I have always used hard flour to make pasta. Live and learn.


  I knew that Northern Italian pastas used eggs, but Southern Italian pastas just used water.  I assumed that it was just a preference, but never knew that it was because the wheat is different.


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## Rocklobster (Jan 20, 2019)

tenspeed said:


> I knew that Northern Italian pastas used eggs, but Southern Italian pastas just used water.  I assumed that it was just a preference, but never knew that it was because the wheat is different.


It also could be because people were very poor in Southern Italy. It could have very well originated from that. I have old French Canadian recipes from post war era that says you can substitute a handful of snow for an egg if you don't have one..


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## tenspeed (Jan 20, 2019)

Rocklobster said:


> I have old French Canadian recipes from post war era that says you can substitute a handful of snow for an egg if you don't have one..


Now that explains why people go ice fishing!


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Jan 20, 2019)

*That is very interesting!*

Yes, thank you tenspeed for posting that video!

In fact I was searching here in Cowboyville for Semolina
to make another round of fresh Fettuccini, but had no luck 
So now I'm going to try it using Bread Flour, I just bought a new
bag of that!

Hard Flours=Water (and Oil if preferred) 
Soft Flours=Eggs


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## buckytom (Jan 20, 2019)

Canadian flour = snow


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## Addie (Jan 20, 2019)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Yes, thank you tenspeed for posting that video!
> 
> In fact I was searching here in Cowboyville for Semolina
> to make another round of fresh Fettuccini, but had no luck
> ...



Some of these TV chefs need to inform their viewers of these facts. I have yet to hear any one explain the differences in flours to their followers. I only use all purpose flour with one quarter of the flour being semolina. No eggs needed.


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## pepperhead212 (Jan 21, 2019)

Addie said:


> Some of these TV chefs need to inform their viewers of these facts. I have yet to hear any one explain the differences in flours to their followers. I only use all purpose flour with one quarter of the flour being semolina. No eggs needed.


They also have to get their facts straight, before trying to inform us.  FI, egg pasta and soft wheat flour do not need to go together, and, as I noted before, I tried it (00 flour is a low gluten flour) in egg pasta, and the flavor was not as good, IMO, as that made with AP flour - simply too much starch.  And egg pasta can even be made with bread, or hard wheat flour, but you need to use less, otherwise, it will be very difficult to roll.  And semolina is not really flour - it is a fine meal, usually (but not necessarily) from durum wheat, with the bran and germ removed; when ground finer, it is durum flour.  While others may like it, I was not crazy about the coarser texture I got in pasta, when using 1/4 or 1/3 semolina.  I preferred grinding it finer, into flour.  But why not just start with flour?

And I wonder how many have actually tried, side by side, each of the different flours, one made with eggs, one with water?


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## GotGarlic (Jan 21, 2019)

pepperhead212 said:


> They also have to get their facts straight, before trying to inform us.  FI, egg pasta and soft wheat flour do not need to go together, and, as I noted before, I tried it (00 flour is a low gluten flour) in egg pasta, and the flavor was not as good, IMO, as that made with AP flour - simply too much starch.  And egg pasta can even be made with bread, or hard wheat flour, but you need to use less, otherwise, it will be very difficult to roll.  And semolina is not really flour - it is a fine meal, usually (but not necessarily) from durum wheat, with the bran and germ removed; when ground finer, it is durum flour.  While others may like it, I was not crazy about the coarser texture I got in pasta, when using 1/4 or 1/3 semolina.  I preferred grinding it finer, into flour.  But why not just start with flour?
> 
> And I wonder how many have actually tried, side by side, each of the different flours, one made with eggs, one with water?



I don't always look to TV chefs for instructions on technique. There are other good sources, like Serious Eats. 

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/01/best-easy-all-purpose-fresh-pasta-dough-recipe-instructions.html


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## tenspeed (Jan 21, 2019)

Keep in mind that different brands of flour contain different amounts of protein.  From what I've read, King Arthur AP flour has a protein content approaching that of other brands of bread flour.

  I have a Philips automatic pasta machine, so making fresh pasta is about as challenging as making a pot of coffee in an automatic coffee pot.  I haven't done much experimenting, but I use 80% KA AP four and 20% semolina, water only,  and really like the pasta.  I tried egg pasta, but underneath the rest of the ingredients in the sauce, I couldn't tell the difference, so I just use water.  I would have to try egg vs. water pasta side by side to tell the difference.


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## pepperhead212 (Jan 21, 2019)

I agree - with most sauces, egg pasta is a waste.  I  only make fresh egg pasta for milder sauces, like butter or cream sauces, where the egg pasta will shine through.  One of my favorite starts to an Italian dinner is simply a melted stick of butter with a couple sprigs of rosemary, and a few cloves of crushed garlic, simmered briefly, while getting the pasta ready.  This is strained into the square noodles, and topped with some reggiano.  This would still be good with dried pasta, or fresh, with just water, but the egg noodles shine through in these types of dishes.


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## Rocklobster (Jan 21, 2019)

buckytom said:


> Canadian flour = snow


Not the yellow snow, though


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## Addie (Jan 21, 2019)

tenspeed said:


> Keep in mind that different brands of flour contain different amounts of protein.  From what I've read, King Arthur AP flour has a protein content approaching that of other brands of bread flour.
> 
> I have a Philips automatic pasta machine, so making fresh pasta is about as challenging as making a pot of coffee in an automatic coffee pot.  I haven't done much experimenting, but I use 80% KA AP four and 20% semolina, water only,  and really like the pasta.  I tried egg pasta, but underneath the rest of the ingredients in the sauce, I couldn't tell the difference, so I just use water.  I would have to try egg vs. water pasta side by side to tell the difference.



I have a mini processor. I use it to cut up celery, onions, etc. to very fine. I also use it to give the semolina a spin or two. It is very course and creates a course pasta when you use it just as is out of the package. I do not like egg pastas. Unless I am going to be using it right away, I find the eggs change the color of the pasta to a shade I would never eat. 

If I make spinach pasta, it really needs the semolina. I don't really think the pasta has to be thick when I add spinach or some other food to it. I like to have it really thin. Thin enough so that you can see the outline on your hand on the other side. Adding the semolina, strengthens the very thin pasta.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 21, 2019)

Addie said:


> I have a mini processor. I use it to cut up celery, onions, etc. to very fine. I also use it to give the semolina a spin or two. It is very course and creates a course pasta when you use it just as is out of the package. I do not like egg pastas. Unless I am going to be using it right away, I find the eggs change the color of the pasta to a shade I would never eat.
> 
> If I make spinach pasta, it really needs the semolina. I don't really think the pasta has to be thick when I add spinach or some other food to it. I like to have it really thin. Thin enough so that you can see the outline on your hand on the other side. Adding the semolina, strengthens the very thin pasta.


I had squid ink pappardelle with seared scallops at an Italian restaurant once. It was delicious and really beautiful.


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## Addie (Jan 21, 2019)

Pappardelle is my favorite pasta. And so easy to make.


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## Janet H (Jan 21, 2019)

Addie said:


> Pappardelle is my favorite pasta. And so easy to make.



Mine as well


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## buckytom (Jan 21, 2019)

Rocklobster said:


> Not the yellow snow, though



That's for the whole wheat folks.


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