<p>It seems that the Italian Pasta conglomerate Barilla has in a few short years just become the biggest seller of dry pasta in the U.S. (incidentally, virtually all Barilla pasta products sold in the U.S. IS NOT IMPORTED from Italy. It’s made in the company factory in Iowa). According to supermarket industry reports, Barilla soared to the top of the market, despite costing more than U.S. rivals Ronzoni, Prince, San Giorgio, Creamette and regional or house brands.</p>
<p>What’s your favorite and why? Can you taste the diffference between durum wheat pasta and other types? I’m price concious, which is why I often buy San Giorgio spaghetti, penne and rigatoni. I rarely buy fresh pasta. Lately at a local market I’ve found some dry spaghetti imported from Argentina, heavily di$counted. Despite being warned by Italian-American friends that Argentine pasta is awful, the stuff I bought cooked up well and was tasty.</p>
<p>In the grocery store, I usually just buy whatever is on sale. I have a pasta-monster in my youngest daughter and we go through lots of it! I have started buying the whole grain pasta to make a separate serving for myself (no one else is willing to eat it) - I currently have Ronzila. I do often buy Barilla.</p>
<p>I love fresh pasta but can’t tell the difference between standard grocery store dried pastas, though some seem to be “stickier” than others. I like Ronzoni and Barilla, but usually buy the store brand…just noticed that I have 6 different store brands on the pasta shelf right now (we eat lotsa pasta)!</p>
<p>I buy Barilla – won’t buy Creamette or the store brands, I find they cook to mush pretty quickly. One reason I buy Barilla is the wide variety of shapes I can buy. At my local store I can get spaghetti in at least five weights as well as rigate, and then I can usually get at least seven or eight other shapes.</p>
<p>The kids eat it much more than we do, but I am a fan of some of the DiCecco products, especially their spaghetti. I can definitely taste the difference. Barilla makes a very good lasagna noodle.</p>
<p>I don’t know if you’ll be able to find it, but I <em>adore</em> an Italian pasta brand called Sapori di Napoli. A friend is a professional cook and he got me to try it. Good Italian dry pasta apparently (and I didn’t know this before) takes a long time to cook–and stays al dente. It’s really difficult to mess up.</p>
<p>Have to go with rodney on the Bionaturae pasta, but it’s difficult to find. Of all the whole wheat pastas I have tried, this one is closest in taste to white. I get it at Whole Foods, but the closest one to us is almost 15 miles away.</p>
<p>I like De Cecco penne and ziti and Delverde linguini, but my favorite mass produced pasta is Rustichella d’Abruzzo, especially the trofie and capellini.</p>
<p>I do have a tendency to buy what is on sale. But, yes, some pastas taste better than others. </p>
<p>Sams Club had a brand last year that I adored…called “Bakers and Chefs” but they aren’t carrying it anymore The thickness of this spaghetti was a little thicker than standard, tastes awesome!</p>
<p>Along with some oil and sea salt, I also sprinkle blk pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the pasta water…I think it adds to the taste. Then when I add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water to the pasta sauce (a Giada tip), I try to capture some of those floating spices as well.</p>
<p>Edited to add…just found that brand on Amazon in penne style…but much, much more expensive than Sams Club. Even the one review dinged the pasta for price (not taste) and mentioned that it’s cheaper at Sams…but it’s not at my Sams anymore. :(</p>
<p>You have to be really careful if you want “whole grain” pasta. Most of them that say whole grain on the label are not 100% whole grain. What percentage they are is just a guess. IMHO it’s worth paying extra to not eat “white” pasta.</p>
<p>The 100% whole wheat dry pasta my family likes is Garafalo and I have a friend whose family likes the Bionaturae ; my choice for the fresh is the Buitoni.</p>
<p>Me too. My H, who is not a big pasta lover, really likes it, too. It is available at BJ’s at a much better price than in the supermarket.</p>
<p>I’ve tried Dreamfields (even more expensive than Plus) for its purported carb sequestration formula–to help control blood glucose levels–but find that it just transfers the peak to later, and sometimes has an unpleasant effect on the lower digestive tract, if you get the drift. Won’t be getting again after we finish what we have.</p>
<p>I used to like DeCecco, but for me it is far too expensive for a “regular” --ie, not high protein-- pasta when regular Barilla is available for much less. San Giorgio cooks to mush.</p>
The thickness of this spaghetti was a little thicker than standard, tastes awesome!</p>
Won’t be getting again after we finish what we have.</p>