Travel to Tuscany and you’ll find 11,000 acres of wheat fields, olive orchards and vineyards at the Frescobaldi estates. Their land’s terroir—featuring mild climates, cool soil and the breeze off the Tyrrhenian Sea—is optimal for making Tirrena, an ancient grain pasta. Tortiglioni (a ridged shape similar to rigatoni) is dried for 84 hours, which preserves a distinctive, nutty wheat flavor. Tirrena’s slow-drying method brings out significantly more starch than standard brands. This means the tortiglioni has a rough texture; when cooked, the starch helps it keep structural integrity and cling to sauces—especially cheesy ones. We use the pasta water to thicken and emulsify sauces and to season soup. Tortiglioni is limited stock, with only one or two releases a year.

Meet the Frescobaldis. Sexy Section Description: Michelangelo’s and da Vinci’s work dates back to the Italian Renaissance. So do the Frescobaldis. The family has been making wine and olive oil for over 30 generations—or 700 years. In the 1980s, they formed a consortium of leading olive oil producers, which encourages using Tuscan terroir to craft traditional, flavorful pantry staples like their Tirrena brand semi-whole grain pasta.

Specifications:
Net Weight/Volume: 500 grams
Ingredients: Semi Whole Durum Wheat, Water
Allergens: Gluten. May contain eggs, mustard and soy
Place of Origin: Italy

How to Use: The tortiglioni is a great vessel—its tubular shape results in sauce coated on the inside and out—for red sauce classics and baked pasta dishes. We especially love it in our and