Being so versatile and cheap/kg, OzBargainers should be in love with dried pasta!
We usually get supermarket homebrand, but feel like the quality has gone down recently. When trying to cook them al dente, they end up being mushy / falling apart, so we are looking for better options!
What is your experience?
I find the woolies home brand to be bland and doesn't hold its form very well.
Also, salt your water with pasta. Like, a LOT.
Yes!
Should be as salty as the sea.
And don't overcook it!
Nothing worse than overcooked soggy and sad pasta.
Yeah, happy to invite you over.
I always take my pasta out when it's harder than al dente and then finish it off in the sauce and it's still al dente.
My will boil it till it's (over)cooked and then it continues to cook when you take it out = mush.
How do you salt water with pasta?
You put it in when you’re boiling the water before you put the pasta in.
I think I used to get De Cecco at Woolworths, Now I'm a La Molisana fan. (Both are fantastic but I think they stopped stocking De Cecco at my local)
Here recent series on youtube where Alex compares and studies a few different types of pasta and does his own tier list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_XMTvAgpEw
Cucina Matese - Durum Wheat
Just like tinned tomatoes, it has to be Italian.
I believe part of the reason they are better (apart from the fact they invented it) is because they use a bronze die when cutting/extruding the pasta.
This gives it a rougher surface so sauces stick better to it. Plus I find Italian pasta stays Al Dente longer.
Of the supermarket brands, Barilla, La Molisana & Cucina Matese the best. They are all very good, so I tend to stock up whenever they are on sale.
Cucina Matese is currently on sale at Coles @ $1.50 a packet. Barilla isn't that much better that it's worth $3.50.
I do however have an Amazon Subscribe & Save order of Barilla spaghetti #5 at $2.25 each.
best - san remo
what do we normally buy? community as it's half the price and nearly as good
.
This video helped me and hes from Australia https://youtu.be/mYsffeNkslA. I tried Delverde and Cucina Matese after watching his video and I like them alot. Was just buying Barilla before
recently listened to Vincenzo about pasta - has upgraded my pasta game
not cooking it every day like i do with rice so i am ok with paying the dollar or so per pack
https://youtu.be/mYsffeNkslA
LaMolisana when on special at Woolies or Cucina Matese when on special at Coles
if i am making something that is served cold like pasta salad
i will use the cheaper ones like Barilla (stocked when on special of course)
De Cecco.
Aldi organic.
The best dried pasta I've had so far is Rummo.
https://mercato.com.au/products/rummo-spaghetti-3-500g
Sometimes you might be able to find these in local supermarkets but not in the major ones.
Never going back.
La Molisana and Cucina Matese are the only two I will buy - for sauces the Paul Newman's bolognese is my favourite, it is less acidic than nearly all the others.
reject shop has a brand for 50 cents, made in South Australia as I remember
they end up being mushy / falling apart
add salt and bit of oil when boiling pasta, and check from time to time.
oopsie! I haven't been to Reject shop for few months and I have got some Coles/Woolies pasta now.
But anyway I rarely eat pasta, just as a delicacy. I have got bags of different varieties of rice :D
Oil is a waste.
Plus you don't want to use oil as the sauce won't stick to the pasta.
Stop oil?
Definitely
Stirring and a rapid boil stops it sticking
If you use oil when boiling pasta you might as well use a colander to strain cooked rice.
Reserve the starchy salty water after cooking to thicken the sauce.
colander to strain cooked rice.
haiyaaa! this will make my ancestors cry lol
oil when boiling pasta
I found this from Youtube videos :/
Garofalo spaghetti is the best I have come across. It's chewier texture is just superior to other brands I have tried. I'm less fussy about Penne, Fusili etc. Happy with Aldi homebrand there.
Yes i get Garofalo pasta from costco in 6 packs. The fusili/macaroni mixed pack is organic not sure about the spaghetti. When I want supermarket pasta it's La Molisana for sure.
The darker the pasta the worse it is. (Not high quality as they dry it too quickly and at too high of a temp)
The lighter is done at a slower temp and at a longer period of time.
Avoid Barilla, Divella and San Remo
Go for La Molisana.
I didn't know that, I wondered why some of the Homebrand pastas were much darker than others.
Rice > pasta.
stupid food idea:
rice noodle sheets for lasagna
i like pasta zara
Can we add another option?…. the cheapest brand.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I always thought dried pasta was all the same so bought the Aldi brand, but am now inspired to try the others you all suggested.
Ps. When do you opt for fresh pasta?
not an italian so not the gospel……my general findings for when NOT to use fresh pasta
if its baked or cooked for long time - loose any texture benefit fresh has over dry if cooked too long. EG soups, lasagne
if its going to be bulk prepared meal (as opposed to just the sauce) - ie things you going to microwave. Similar reason to above
if your trying to save money - fresh is usually quite a bit more expensive than dry
dietary reasons - fresh generally has eggs while dry does not so higher cholesterol
Divella for me
Was told by a close Italian friend to only buy artisan deli pasta or la molisana. Basically she said to look at the colour. The lighter the colour and more coaser feel, the better the quality. Barilla, San Remo is like the equivalent of buying homebrand rice.
Bought some La Molisana today as they're half price at Woolies. Will see how they are!
Thanks for the heads up! Will try some too.
Tried the farfalle last night, definitely different. Thicker pasta, with ridges, held the sauce well. I cooked it for about 5 mins past the indicated 10 mins as the "knot" was still a bit chalky. They were chewier than usual at the knot, but I probably haven't had much true al dente pasta.
Macro organic ones (woolies homebrand)