the world of dried pasta

what is dried pasta?

Dry pasta is made from finely ground semolina flour and water (no egg, usually) that is mixed into a paste, pushed through molds, and cut into the multitude of pasta shapes. we know and love.

Durum wheat semolina or flour, common farina or flour, or combination of both is mixed with water and eggs (for egg noodles) and other optional ingredients (like spinach, tomato, herbs, etc.). Usually 25–30 kg of water is added per 100 kg of semolina. The amounts are measured by computerized dispensers. The mixture is then kneaded by auger extruder equipped with mixing paddles and kneading blades to obtain a homogeneous mass, and after that is extruded through various shaped dies. Drying process begins immediately after the products are shaped to prevent deformation and sticking. The pastas are dried completely in drying chambers and stabilized, then ready for packaging. In modern factories, dry pasta is processed using automatic continuous lines.

a brief history of production pasta

As early as the fourth century BC, the story of pasta takes shape in Italy. There is archeological evidence for the existence of pasta in the Etruscan civilization, which flourished in the regions we now call Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. A bas-relief unearthed in an Etruscan tomb depicts tools and kitchen utensils used to roll and form pasta very similar to those still in use today. A lucky find for anthropology, but a sad blow to the legend of Marco Polo, which claims he was the one who introduced pasta to Europe after his adventures in the Far East. He may have brought some unusual noodles back with him, but it was certainly not the first time Italians had ever seen such food.

Like much of Italian culture, pasta as a culinary art form flourished during the Renaissance. By the 14th century, pasta had become a staple in Rome and Florence. In later centuries, as it became available in dried forms and sold in shops, pasta grew more and more popular, until by the 19th century, it achieved a presence and stature in Italian cuisine that continues to evolve to the present day. The extraordinary variety and sophistication of pasta dishes now – from Bucatini alla Amatriciana to Linguine al Pesto are part of a century-long evolution. Though Italians cannot claim to have invented pasta, it’s clear they took to the creation with an unparalleled joy, passion and inventiveness, developing an entire culture and cuisine around it, which is now recognized worldwide.

industrial pasta making explodes

What really sparked the explosion of pasta shapes was the invention of the extrusion press. Versions of an extruder had been experimented with since the 1300s, but it took the revolution in mechanics of the Renaissance to allow the machines to quickly mass-produce pasta, including shapes like elbow macaroni, rigatoni and tagliatelle.

Stiff pasta doughs made from semolina could be worked in large quantities by machines in volumes not possible by manual production. These doughs were then extruded through bronze “dies” that yielded the style of pasta familiar today. Bronze was hard enough to be durable but soft enough to be easily worked using pre-Industrial Revolution technologies.

The introduction of machinery powered by steam in the 1800s during the Industrial Revolution made the process of extruding noodles even more efficient. As factory-made pasta caught on with the public, manufacturers quickly added pastas of various shapes and sizes to their repertoire. Fantastic shapes like gemmeli, radiatori, wagon wheels and stuffable shells soon crowded the shelves.

dried pasta today

Pasta is simple, really. The traditional Italian pasta we know and love today is made with semolina, or coarsely ground wheat flour. Like all great Italian foods, it’s made of few simple ingredients. So then, what does it take to make great pasta? The difference is in the quality of the ingredients and how the pasta is made.

DeLallo Pasta is made with hard durum wheat—a top-quality wheat with a super high gluten content. This gluten content is what gives pasta its desirable al dente texture. That is, a firm but tender bite. Along with the quality of wheat, the texture of the semolina matters too. At DeLallo, we expertly mill our grains for the perfect coarse grind, lending to the texture of the finished pasta.

bronze vs. teflon

With the demand for pasta growing exponentially over the years, the artisanal approach to pasta-making has been lost to faster, unflattering methods. Traditionally, pasta is formed by extruding dough through bronze dies, or bronze plates. This gives pasta a rough surface texture ideal for capturing and absorbing sauces. These days, most pasta makers use Teflon to extrude pasta. While extruding dough through Teflon is a faster process, it leaves pasta smooth and shiny with no surface for sauces to stick to.

the crucial drying process

Drying is one of the most difficult and critical parts of making pasta. If the pasta dries too fast, it may crack during or after the drying process and acquire a poor appearance and lowered mechanical strength. If the pasta dries too slowly, it may spoil and become moldy. Thus, the drying process must be carefully executed in order to avoid the two aforementioned consequences.

When the pasta leaves the dies it has the moisture content of 31%. The final desired moisture of the dried pasta is about 12%, in order for the pasta to be rigid and have a long storage life. The drying process is slightly different for long and short pastas, but in general, pasta is exposed to hot air to dehydrate the pasta. “Pre-drying” starts immediately after extrusion where the pasta hardens on the outside but is still soft on the inside. It takes one tenth of the whole drying time, and one third of the excess moisture is lost in this stage. “Final drying” removes most of the moisture and gives the pasta a firm shape. This stage consists of two phases: in the first phase the product is exposed to high temperatures and humidity and in the second phase the temperature is dropped quickly and cold air is provided for stabilizing. Stabilizing helps the remaining moisture to distribute evenly through the pasta and prevents cracking.

america embraces pasta making

The U.S. was slow to adopt most of the wide variety of pasta shapes common in Italy. That’s despite the fact that Founding Father Thomas Jefferson was a major proponent of pasta and even owned a pasta maker at his home in Monticello. The earliest Italian immigrants to America came from the northern regions of the peninsula, but their overall numbers were small.

The first documented pasta factory in America was established in Brooklyn in 1848, and by the time of the Civil War, macaroni, as it was mostly called then, was fairly common on American tables. Though Italian noodles were called macaroni, they were most often some form of flat noodle, like fettuccine. American pasta consumption began to surge following the the “Great Arrival” of nearly 4 million Italian immigrants to the U.S. from 1880 to 1920, most from Southern Italy. This is when most of the pasta dishes Americans are familiar with today – such as spaghetti and meatballs, cheesy elbow macaroni and linguine with clam sauce – became popular. But it wasn’t until the Italian “food boom” of the 1970s and 1980s that Americans became familiar with the cornucopia of pasta shapes, sizes, sauces and fillings that were common in Italy.

pasta packaging

There are two main packaging systems for dried pasta: cellophane bags which are moisture-proof, easy to use in automatic machines, but difficult to stack, and boxes which are easy to stack and print advertising, and protect the fragile pastas. In packaging line the product is first scaled, then sealed in the package, detected for open flap and metals, double-checked the weight and last packed in large cases.

Long pasta packaging: First the product is weighed by about five scales on a packaging line, then transferred to mechanical buckets which are fitted to the opening of the cartons. The system which is used for long pasta packaging is called horizontal cartoner in which buckets and cartons are both move forward on the packaging line and pasta is poured to the cartons by a mechanical pushing device from the bucket. The cartons then are closed and sealed.

Short pasta packaging: The process of packaging for short pasta are similar to those used for long pasta except that vertical cartoner is used in which the scaling unit is located over the cartoner and weighed pasta is dropped to the passing cartons using only gravity.

Flexible pouch packaging: Both long and short pasta can be packed in flexible plastic packaging materials. The system is called standard form/fill/seal system which is similar to carton packaging.

Plastic overwrapping packaging: The weighed product is manually placed onto a shallow rigid plastic tray and a plastic film is wrapped around the tray and overwrap the package. It then passes a heat tunnel which causes the film to shrink around the pasta.

videos on dried pasta

I Try To Make Dry Pasta For The First Time (Orecchiette)

Orecchiette pasta comes from the south of Italy. In Bari, they make it on the streets.

I used a tutorial to learn. where the lovely Porzia made orecchiette by hand

How Dry Pasta Is Made Inside Italian Factory (Monograno Felicetti)

After having had a truly eye-opening dry pasta experience at "Cucina Luciano" in Rome, Italy, I decided I needed more. In Luciano's kitchen, as he was cooking Pasta Aglio e Olio, I noticed the brand of pasta he was using : Monograno Felicetti. Turns out they are based in the north of Italy, which is surprising in the pasta world, but they are super legitimate. In fact, they are considered to be amongst the very very best Italian pasta makers (pastificio). So, I decided to go and pay these guys a visit.

That is when I realised how pasta is really made, and how tough my journey might be to try and make some Dry pasta myself... These guys have been making pasta for over a 100 years.

I Got Hired by Italian Pasta Master and Discovered This (my only hope)

Back in Rome ! I managed to get hired in a small pasta factory. I believe this is my only hope to try and understand what is wrong with my dry pasta making process. Big thanks to my pasta-sensei Luciano Monosilio. He's a pasta lover and a true gentleman. I learnt so much about making pasta. I may have found the solution to my pasta problem.

in conclusion

Pasta comes in so many forms, shapes and textures—over 500 cuts in Italy, just to give you an idea. From the tiny barely-shaped pastina, Orzo, to the classic tube-like Rigatoni, there is a rhyme and reason for each shape. In Italy, choosing a particular cut of pasta usually depends on the sauce. For instance, scoop-like shapes are better than others at capturing chunky sauces and small ingredients, while thinner, more delicate shapes are best for oil-based and light tomato sauces.

The Brooklyn waterfront boasts the claim to fame for the first pasta factory located in the United States, opened in 1848 by French immigrant Antoine Zerega. He managed the operation with just one horse to power the machinery, and he dried strands of pasta in the sun.

The U.S. pasta industry continued to grow through the 19th century, and the predecessor to today’s National Pasta Association was formed in 1904: the National Association of Macaroni and Noodle Manufacturers of America. Dues were $5.

From then on, pasta companies were founded across the country by makers like Anthony Gioia, Vincenzo La Rosa, Antonio Marano, and John Robilio. Introduced in 1928, Chef Boyardee (launched by Ettore Boiardi) canned pasta is now a household name. And Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (1937) remains a best-seller and family favorite.

Pasta is now produced in numerous shapes and sizes, with wheat- and gluten-free varieties among the newest trends on the market. Some form of pasta can be found in nearly every food aisle of the grocery store – whether it’s fresh, canned, dried, frozen, or ready-to-eat.

Page updated

Report abuse