HISTORY OF PASTA MAIN TYPES Nowadays pasta is the symbol of Italianness abroad, thanks to its great taste, versatility and the history that characterizes it. It is important to distinguish between three main types of pasta:
FRESH PASTA is the first type of pasta produced in Italy, more specifically in Sicily. It is composed by a mixture of water and soft wheat. Unlike the “common” dry pasta, it is not left to dry so the conservation must comply with certain thermal criteria (<+ 4ºC) and also its packaging must ensure that the product is protected from external agents.
FRESH EGG PASTA is the only type of pasta in which the egg is present, as it is used in the knead process. Due to its presence, the “egg pasta” label must be clearly visible on the package. Italian law requires, for fresh pasta made in Italy, a percentage of soft wheat not exceeding 3%.
DRY PASTA is the most consumed and marketed pasta worldwide. Composed only by durum wheat, dry pasta is characterized by much longer storage time than fresh pasta and a better glycemic index. For the Italian law, only durum wheat can be used for its production. There are types of pasta produced with special doughs that must be labeled as “durum wheat pasta”, completed by the ingredient used. 07
