Everything You Need to Know About Italian Bronze Cut Pasta

You've probably heard of Italian bronze cut pasta, but what is it? Is it different from regular pasta? Squarish in shape and firm in texture, is there a reason Italians have been cooking with it for years? The term Italian bronze cut pasta refers to how this style of dry pasta is manufactured. Bronze cut pasta is the traditional way of cutting pasta, compared to modern and cheaper Teflon methods.

The most famous bronze-cut kinds of pasta are Spaghetti, Fusilli, and Fettuccine. The noodles can be tiny or large and are more reminiscent of handmade quality than machine-cut pasta. Other types of bronze-cut pasta are distinctly different from Italian-style bronze-cut pasta. In short, it can be confusing if you don't know what you're looking for. So, what exactly is Italian Bronze Cut pasta, and why is it superior?

Better Texture

Bronze-cut pasta has a texture unlike any other type of pasta. Pasta cut with bronze has a tactile texture that feels far less "slippery" than different varieties. A better texture allows it to mix in more seamlessly with the other ingredients in a dish and creates a better bite each time.

Since these kinds of pasta have more texture, varieties like our ready-cut orechiette and lumaconi from Abruzzo can better hold ingredients like cheese and vegetables. The ridges and grooves make them more porous, so they don't just slide off your fork when you're ready to eat but instead give you an array of flavors in every bite.

Sauces Stick to Bronze Cut Pasta More Effectively

The rougher texture also allows the sauce to adhere to the pasta more effectively, making for a more satisfying dish and better presentation. Since bronze-cut pasta is more porous, sauces can seep into them and infuse them with a richer flavor. The sauce becomes a more active part of the dish rather than a simple base or layer.

Machine-cut, flash-dried pastas like spaghetti can be notoriously difficult to mix in with sauces due to their less-porous surfaces and more slippery texture. Instead, using Zaccagni bronze-cut spaghetti, you can experience spaghetti dishes as they’re truly intended. Rather than the ingredients existing “around” the pasta, they are an integral part of your favorite meal.

Improved Flavors

Another attribute of good bronze-cut pasta is taste. Because bronze cut pasta can integrate with the other flavors of the dish more effectively, it tastes better too! The pasta becomes the flavor center for all of your dish's sauces, herbs, meats, cheeses, and other ingredients.

Bring Tradition Alive

Did you know that the tradition of bronze-cutting pasta has been around for centuries? It's the best way to make handmade pasta and preserve the rich, nutty taste and texture of wheat.

Before Teflon options were available, bronze dies were the standard for cutting pasta. To this day, bronze-cutting remains the best practice for producing the most flavorful and texture-rich pasta on the market. On the other hand, Teflon causes noodles to become bland and slimy.

Not Flash-Dried

Teflon-cut pasta is often quickly flash dried to be easily shipped to store shelves. Most high-quality bronze-cut pasta is given time to dry naturally to maintain the highest quality possible.

High-quality pasta makers often take longer than 24 hours to dry their pasta, sometimes taking up 48 hours or more. Doing so increases the cost of production but produces an end product that is far superior in texture and flavor.

Richer Color

Unlike mass-market pasta with a pale or near-colorless appearance, pasta cut with bronze dies usually has a deeper, bolder, and richer gold color. The richer color also enhances the appearance of your pasta - making it picture-perfect for your next authentic Italian creation.

All bronze-cut pasta has a light golden brown color when they are dry and have a tendency to darken slightly as they cook. The color comes from the fact that bronze-cut pasta is always made with durum wheat semolina; this gives it a unique golden hue. It also creates a thicker texture that is perfect for holding sauce well and ensuring you get plenty of flavor with every bite.

While many people think that bronze cut pasta is just used in pasta made in Italy, it can also be found in high-end restaurants and food stores in the United States. Did you know that Marcelli Formaggi imports the finest Zaccagni bronze-cut pasta from the Abruzzo region of Italy?

Zaccagni is known widely for producing some of the most extraordinary and flavorful foods in all of Europe. Our bronze-cut pasta is imported from the same place, so you can rest assured that you're getting the authentic, gold-standard experience.

We think ordering our bronze-cut pasta is a great way to treat yourself and your family, so go ahead and check out our listings today!