Linguine Pasta Rusticella

Linguine, flat spaghetti by Rustichella d'Abruzzo

Linguine are the flattened sister of spaghetti: oval in cross-section rather than round, which gives them more surface and a better grip on sauce. These come from the traditional manufactory Rustichella d'Abruzzo in Abruzzo, drawn through bronze dies and dried slowly. Made from pure durum wheat semolina they stay firm to the bite and carry the sauce instead of disappearing under it. In Liguria they are also called trenette, where they are the classic pesto pasta.

How to use it

Linguine are the pasta for oil-based and delicate sauces: pesto alla genovese, vongole and seafood, aglio e olio, lemon and herb sauces, light tomato sugos. Heavy meat ragùs suit short shapes better, because they slide off the flat strand.

Important: cook the linguine just short of al dente and let them finish for a minute in the sauce. Add a ladle of pasta water so the starch binds the sauce and it clings to every strand.

Linguine aglio e olio in 4 steps

1. Cook the linguine al dente in plenty of salted water and keep a cup of the pasta water.
2. Let two sliced garlic cloves turn gently golden in Belessi olive oil.
3. Add a pinch of chilli and a splash of pasta water and let it foam up.
4. Add the linguine to the pan, toss through, season with parsley and fleur de sel and serve at once.

What makes Rustichella's linguine special?

Rustichella d'Abruzzo draws its pasta through traditional bronze dies rather than smooth Teflon ones. That gives a finely pored, rough surface which takes up sauce instead of letting it run off. Slow air drying at low temperature preserves the aroma and the bite of the durum wheat. With a flat shape like linguine that is exactly what counts: they stay springy instead of limp.

Properties

• Flat spaghetti from pure durum wheat semolina, called trenette in Liguria
• By Rustichella d'Abruzzo from Abruzzo, Italy
• Bronze dies and slow drying, firm to the bite
• 500 gram bag
• Vegan, no egg

What goes with it?

The classic with linguine is pesto, and for a quick sugo you take San Marzano tomatoes and Belessi olive oil. From the same manufactory come Cannolicchi for soups and Orzo for salads. You will find more in our pasta collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between linguine and spaghetti?
Linguine are flat-oval in cross-section, spaghetti are round. The larger surface means linguine take up more sauce and feel more velvety on the palate. For oil and seafood sauces they are the better choice, for tomato sugo both work.

What are linguine best for?
For pesto, vongole and seafood, aglio e olio and light tomato or herb sauces. Heavy meat ragùs hold better on short shapes than on the flat strand.

What does bronze die mean?
The pasta is drawn through a bronze die rather than Teflon. That makes the surface rough so it takes up sauce better. You can see it in the matt, slightly floury surface of the strand.

Do linguine contain egg?
No, they consist only of durum wheat semolina and water and are therefore vegan. They do contain gluten from wheat.