The first thing that catches the eye of most shoppers is the range of pastas by Marella that come in a rainbow of colors and patterns. They make for a really lively meal. However you shouldn’t loose sight of the rest of the line up because the white pastas are a treat and they come in a variety of shapes. The whole line is made of organic durum wheat which has a much higher protein value and is Non-GMO.
Marella located in Gioia del Colle a few miles from the coast near Bari in Puglia Italy. The company is entirely family run and produces hand-made pasta made from durum wheat in the Apulian tradition. They only use bronze dies, static collection frames and the pasta is dried at a low temperature 37/38 degrees C. The result is a much different product that plumps up in the pot when boiled that has an intense aroma. It’s porosity or ability to take the sauce is way out of the norm.
Antonio Marella states that you should experiment with his pasta. Follow the package instructions for cooking times but be aware that artisan pasta has cooking times which may vary depending on the intensity of the flame, the hardness of water etc. To achieve maximum results when the pasta is half cooked add it to the sauce and finish cooking in the sauce. This allows the dough to yield the precious starch it contains to the sauce. The starch is a tasty natural thickener. This is something an industrial pasta can not do.
These videos will give you a great visualization of just how much effort goes into making Pasta Marella. Unfortunately they are in Italian but you can see the amount of detail and attention that goes into this truly artisan product.
Marella does beautiful things with pasta. It’s all organic even the dyes they use come from vegetables. Notice in the video how slow they extrude the pasta . This is what makes the texture so porous and why it takes the water and sauce so much better.