My family eats pasta at least three times per week, so my pantry is always stocked with all shapes and sizes. I usually reach for dried pasta because it’s shelf-stable and generally more budget-friendly than fresh. The only times I buy (or make) fresh pasta are when I’m having guests over and really want to impress them or elevate a simple meal. But is my assumption accurate? According to the pasta experts I chatted with, no—fresh isn’t always better than dried.
Meet the Pasta ExpertsWhen Dried Pasta Is Just as Good as Fresh
“You can think of it like bread if you like. Is a baguette better than a loaf of sourdough? Then a soft rye bread? Or are they merely different breads that play different roles at the table?” Da Prato explains. While choosing dried or fresh pasta can also be a matter of preference, Vourliotaki adds that in Italian cooking, it’s more about using the appropriate pasta for the preparation. In other words, it ultimately comes down to the dish you’re making.
Lunsford explains that because dried pasta is traditionally made from harder durum semolina wheat and water, it tends to have a firmer, more al dente texture, or what Da Prato calls a “satisfying, chewy bite.” Da Prato also notes that this firmness helps the pasta maintain its integrity on the fork in a way that fresh pasta often cannot.
Aside from the recipe, what ultimately matters more than whether the pasta is fresh or dried is its quality. “I buy pasta that is imported from Tuscany, made with ancient grains that are all grown, milled, extruded, and dried to very specific Italian standards. I don’t buy local, dry pasta that is super yellow or smooth,” says Pascuzzi, who recommends looking for a lighter color and rougher exterior texture—signs of higher quality and a better ability to grip sauces.
When To Reach for Dried Pasta
All four chefs agree that fresh pasta is the superior choice for ravioli and wider pastas like tagliatelle and pappardelle, and that its delicate texture makes it particularly well suited to egg-based sauces. However, they point out that many classic pasta dishes are traditionally made with dried pasta.
“Aglio olio peperoncino [pasta with garlic, olive oil, and chilis], a classic Italian home staple, would be downright silly on a soft fresh pasta. You need the al dente chew,” says Da Prato, adding that dried pasta releases a lot more starch, which is crucial to creating a creamy texture in non-dairy pasta dishes.
Vourliotaki recommends using dried pasta for cold salads, baked recipes, and sauces that need a stronger structure, like hearty ragùs. Lunsford says the springy texture and wheat-forward flavor of dried pasta make it the classic choice for dishes like bucatini all’amatriciana [pasta with spicy tomato sauce and cured pork], rigatoni with vodka sauce, linguine with clams, and spaghetti fra diavolo [spicy seafood pasta].
Credit: Simply Recipes / Pasta Rummo
The Dried Pasta Brands That Will Elevate Your Dish
Choosing a high-quality dried pasta is essential for getting the best flavor and texture in the final dish. A couple of chef-recommended brands include:
Bona Furtuna, known for its organic pasta made in Sicily using ancient grains.
Rummo, which is widely available, budget-friendly, and made with high-quality wheat and bronze dies that give the pasta a rough texture that helps sauce cling to it.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes
