Selecting the wheat
Selecting excellent primary materials is the first step, the most important one in fact, in creating unique pasta.
Penne Lisce n° 40
Penne Lisce are part of the short, diagonal cut, smooth pasta family and are one of the most well-known type of pasta, as well as being the most versatile for cooking.
The lack of ridges is compensated for by a surprising softness which makes it exceptionally delicate on the palate. It is a delicate and sophisticated pasta which brings out the best in aromas, flavours and fragrance.
In Italian, the term "Penne" refers to the goose feather which was used historically to write with and was cut on a diagonal to achieve a really thin tip. The shape, obtained from a pasta tube, can be smooth or ridged, of varying length and has the typical diagonal cut of a quill.
Penne are one of the few types of pasta for which there is an exact date when it was created. Indeed, in 1865, a pasta-maker from San Martino d'Albaro (Genoa), Giovanni Battista Capurro, requested and obtained a patent for a diagonal cutting machine. The patent was important because it meant the fresh pasta could be cut like a quill without crushing it and in different lengths from 3 to 5 centimetres (mezze "half" penne or penne). The document preserved in the Central Archive of the State of Rome reads: "Up until now, a diagonal cut could only be made by hand with a pair of scissors which, in addition to being slow and time-consuming, also resulted in an irregular cut which flattened the pasta".
The ideal condiments for Penne Lisce are any kind of meat sauce: pork, beef, sausage, slow-cooked or braised, or meat and mushrooms. This pasta is equally as good with vegetable based sauces and more in general, due to its versatility, for any recipe from the Mediterranean tradition, such as the classic condiment with tomato, basil, extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of parmesan. A classic combination is with Arrabbiata sauce.
Available in 500g or 3 Kg packs.
- Cooking time: 11 min - Al dente: 9 min
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Our method
Attention, care, experience, quality at every stage: from our mill to your table.
The milling
We have been millers for almost two centuries: way back in 1831, Don Nicola De Cecco was already producing “the best flour in the county” in his mill. To this day, we grind all the wheat in our own mill next to the pasta factory, floating with intense and delicious aromas.
The dough
Cold water and dough at a temperature of less than 15 degrees: two details allowing us to produce pasta that fully respects the primary material.
Drawing
Se grazie alla trafilatura la pasta prende forma, è la trafila ruvida a regalare alla nostra pasta quella porosità unica capace di
catturare ogni condimento. Questa è una delle particolari procedure che abbiamo scelto con grande orgoglio.
Drying
Another of the secrets behind our pasta is slow drying at low temperature. It is our way of keeping the sensory properties of the wheat intact.
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Capellini n° 9
The origins of Capellini, with their evocative name (fine hair) and light consistency, are contested between the area around Genoa, Naples and the Ciociaria (central Italy). It is one of the thinnest types of long pasta wound into a nest shape.
Even the name Capellini is reminiscent of the fine consistency of this type of pasta which is ideal for infants from 9 months old onwards to help them get used to eating food for grown-ups.
Simple condiments are recommended for this type of pasta. It is excellent combined with butter dressings, such as uncooked butter and cheese, or melted butter with sage and cheese. Egg or fresh raw tomato based sauces are also excellent. Another way to enjoy Capellini is in a light, chicken broth. In addition to broths and pasta dishes with sauces, this pasta is also used to prepare oven-baked dishes in the Naples region.
Available in 500g packs.
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