Pasta

Dried pasta from four makers: New Zealand durum, organic Italian spelt, organic durum and quinoa, and legume spaghetti for gluten free eating.

Why Pasta

Bronze die extruded

A rough, chalky surface rather than a smooth glossy one, so sauce clings instead of sliding off. It is the difference you taste first.

A shape for every sauce

Long strands for silky sauces, ridged tubes for chunky ragu and baked dishes, twists for anything creamy.

Including gluten free

Legume spaghetti from black soybean and edamame, and a quinoa spaghetti, for anyone eating gluten free without giving up a bowl of pasta.

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Pasta

Frequently Asked Questions about Pasta

What does bronze die extruded mean, and does it matter?

Pasta is pushed through a die to give it its shape. A bronze die leaves the surface rough and slightly chalky rather than smooth and glossy. That roughness is what sauce clings to, so a bronze die pasta carries more sauce per forkful. It is the single biggest difference between supermarket pasta and the good stuff.

Which shape should I use for which sauce?

Long strands like spaghetti suit thin, silky sauces: tomato, olive oil, seafood. Short ridged shapes like penne, rigatoni and radiatori catch chunky vegetable sauces and ragu, and hold up in a baked dish. Twists like fusilli trap creamy sauces in the curve.

What is spelt pasta like compared with ordinary pasta?

Spelt is an ancient wheat. It is nuttier and a little earthier than durum, holds its bite well, and carries more fibre. It still contains gluten, so it is not an option if you are avoiding it.

Is there a gluten free option?

Yes. The Slendier spaghetti is made from black soybean or edamame rather than wheat, and the Ceres quinoa spaghetti is a grain alternative. Check each pack, as recipes change.

How long should I cook it?

Most dried pasta takes 8 to 11 minutes in a large pot of well salted water, but it varies by shape and thickness, so go by the pack. Taste a piece a minute or two early. Drain it while it still has bite and finish it in the sauce rather than on top of it.

How much pasta per person?

Around 75 to 100g of dried pasta per person for a main, less if it is a starter or there is a lot else on the plate. A 500g pack is five or six servings.

Should I add oil to the water?

No. It coats the pasta and stops sauce sticking, which defeats the point of buying a bronze die pasta. Salt the water generously instead, and keep a cup of the cooking water back to loosen the sauce.

What is made in New Zealand?

Monty & Sons mill and make their pasta here in New Zealand. The Stock Merchant's spelt is grown and made in northern Italy, and Ceres is organic and imported.

Pasta

Why Pasta

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Frequently Asked Questions about Pasta

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Pasta

Why Pasta

Featured Products

Frequently Asked Questions about Pasta

Hear From Those Who Have Tried

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