In Italian, “vero” is the word for “real”, and in the case of Vero Lugano, the name suits the brand perfectly. This artisan pasta company from Matera Basilicata produces small-batch pasta in authentic and classic Italian shapes. The region of Matera is famous for producing high quality durum wheat since the 14th century, and at Vero Lucano pasta, a consortium of artisan bakers makes each batch by hand, using bronze dyes. This process of extruding the pasta through the bronze dye or mold makes for a pasta that’s coarser, more ridged and more porous, which means the sauces cling rather than slide off – perfecto!
Rigatoni is one of the most classic of Italian pasta shapes, a short, medium size tube that closely resembles the more popular (In America) penne, with the distinction that rigatoni has a ridged surface rather than smooth. It’s this particular characteristic that makes rigatoni such a great option – pasta sauces cling to those ridges, and fill the tube, making for a rich eating experience. Vero Lucano rigatoni is made with ingredients sourced in the Basilicata area, paying attention to the quality of the raw materials, and using recipes that have a rich history Southern Italy. The result is a premium traditional Italian durum wheat pasta that anyone can enjoy at home!
Rigatoni is the perfect pasta for hearty meat sauces like ragout (or ragu), and Bolognese. It’s also an amazing pasta shape for casseroles and baked pasta dishes, like a rigatoni pasta baked piled with sauce and parmesan cheese, baked to au gratin perfection. It’s also a great pasta for a weekday lunch of dinner, paired with fresh seasonal vegetables – in the summer, chopped tomato and basil with olive oil will cling to the ridges of the rigatoni, and in the fall, roasted vegetables like pumpkin and mushrooms are a filling, healthy choice. A versatile ingredient, Vero Lucano’s Rigatoni is a must-have pasta to keep in the pantry for endless pasta dishes.