The Dried Pasta Brand Giada De Laurentiis Can't Stop Using
Anyone who has ever tuned in to Food Network has likely seen the celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, host of the network's show "Giada at Home." She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Host in 2008, was the recipient of a Gracie Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Host in 2012, and in 2020 she won an Emmy for Outstanding Culinary Host. She is also the author of ten cookbooks. Clearly, this TV personality clearly knows her way around the kitchen.
A list of Giada De Laurentiis's accomplishments can fill a book; there's so much to know about this culinary superstar, not the least of which is what she says is her favorite pasta brand.
Many people believe all brands of pasta are alike, and even think that the high-priced boxes available in specialty stores are a waste of money. But, there is one pasta brand that De Laurentiis believes stands above the rest. What makes this brand of pasta so special?
Giada's favorite pasta brand
You might think fresh pasta is the only choice of traditional Italian cooks, but that's not so. According to an article in the New York Times, pasta secca, dried pasta, is used most often in Italy and is considered a high-quality product just as delicious as its fresh counterpart.
De Laurentiis agrees with this statement and is a devotee of the Italian brand Setaro pasta, as noted in a Bon Appétit article. The chef says that the Setaro brand "when cooked al dente, tastes just like fresh pasta." It's one of only a few brands of pasta the celebrity chef includes in her online shop Giadzy.
Setaro has been making pasta commercially in Naples, Italy, since 1939 (via Giadzy) and is still family-owned. They pride themselves on continuing the tradition of pasta-making that started generations ago. Setaro now distributes its products worldwide, including the United States, and can be found at specialty Italian grocery stores and on Giada's online store.
What to look for when buying pasta
According to The Washington Post, when shopping for dried pasta, it's important to look for the words "bronze-cut" or "in bronzo" on the packaging. This designation means the pasta was pushed through an extruder made of bronze, not Teflon. While Teflon is a cheaper option, the bronze die creates a rough surface on the pasta allowing the sauce to adhere better and to be absorbed by the pasta. The drying process is crucial to good pasta (via Food-Info), and Giada's website says Setaro air-dries its pasta in the traditional way — in the cool breezes from the Mediterranean Sea.
Dried pasta is a shelf-stable product making it perfect for last-minute meals. According to PureWow, dried pasta will never expire, but it will lose its flavor after a couple of years.
Many companies make bronze die-cut pasta, including popular brands Barilla and De Cecco. Try Giada's favorite brand in a new pasta recipe this week and see if you can taste the difference.