Rustichella d’Abruzzo

Rustichella is the benchmark in the world of artisan durum wheat dried pasta.

Discovering their linguine (still a favourite strand, but now one of many), is one of the reasons you are reading this today.Rustichella is the first brand of the foundation ingredients we are highlighting in our 25th year of Sabato, and has long been a key brand in our range.

Rustichella pasta is an excellent illustration of how using best quality core ingredients give you a more delicious, more forgiving, more nutritious and more pleasurable dish.

Simply boil your chosen shape in plenty of salted water until cooked to your liking (the Italians prefer it quite ‘al dente’). Rustichella is more resilient and does not overcook as quickly as other pasta. Drain and dress with your favourite Sabato-selected extra virgin olive oil and a dusting of one of our fine Parmigiano-Reggiano. Then enjoy. Simple and delicious. If dairy is not your thing, use instead one of the tasty Sabato bruschetta, sauces, pastes or vegetables.

Because of the qualities of this pasta, you will find that the flavours of your other ingredients will be absorbed by the pasta and may taste even better over the next few days. This pasta holds its mouthfeel. You may find you have leftovers as a little Rustichella goes a long way. Another of its fine qualities is a high yield. Cook and keep up to four days in your fridge. Cooled, cooked pasta is higher in resistant starch, which has been linked to reduced gut inflammation. This pasta is very digestible pasta, which is the word we found the delightful Peduzzi family (who founded and still operate Rustichella) often use to describe it.

Based in the charming region of Abruzzo, apparently often overlooked in favour of Tuscany, this too is a very picturesque place of rolling hills, ancient towns, good food and relaxed friendly people.

Amusingly, and quite appropriately, the Rustichella offices are in the town of Penne. It is a family-owned company consisting of a brother, a sister, in-laws - and now quite adult children. All of whom are very dedicated ambassadors of their fine brand, and when you taste it, you understand why. They are dedicated to excellence, from the selection of specifically milled wheat and using local pure mountain water, to the long and slow artisan process of production and attention to the finer details.

I asked what happened to the loops which are trimmed from the long strands so the pasta will fit into their familiar brown bag after slow humidified drying over rods. The answer? Off to be added to a gourmet dog food brand.

How Italian!