Fresh vs Dried Pasta

Most people think that fresh pasta is ALWAYS preferable to its dried counterpart, but we beg to differ. Now, don’t get us wrong… fresh pasta is incredible. Christopher, our co-owner and founder, began making fresh pasta while working at a small trattoria in Tuscany, which seeded his love for the hands-on, intuitive nature of working with pasta dough. He went on to work pasta prep at restaurants throughout Toronto, and - when visiting his old stomping grounds in Tuscany - he made a fresh pasta dish that won over the heart of, well, me!

While fresh pasta is in our blood at this point, there is a time and place for it. We prefer fresh pasta when serving the simplest of pasta dishes: ones with a simple tomato sauce or those with olive oil and a seasonal vegetable at its peak ripeness and flavour. One advantage that fresh pasta holds over dried is the cook time…typically cooking in just a few minutes because it still holds a wealth of moisture.

Dried pasta, on the other hand, is probably the most versatile pantry item one can keep. It lasts forever and can quite simply put a delicious meal on the table and affordably. Dried pasta holds up better than fresh to denser, richer sauces or dishes in which the pasta needs more of a “bite.” When cooked for the appropriate amount of time (always check the bag for instructions!), dried pasta will still have this “bite”, which Italians refer to as ‘al dente,’ or ‘to the tooth.’ Dried pasta leaves a heavily starchy cooking water behind that aids in this process, so don’t strain your pasta over the sink, and be sure to use some to adhere the sauce to its pasta vessel.

Altogether, fresh and dried pasta are both winners in our bellies. If you are looking to make a lighter, fresher pasta dish, then fresh pasta is the way to go. But, if your sauce is thicker and richer (or it’s a rainy day and you want to stay home!), you’ll want to use the dried version from your cupboard. Enjoy!

Sarah Terpstra, Co-Owner & Co-Founder