Organic Rigatoni

Organic Rigatoni with bold longitudinal ridges from Apulia

Cipriani Organic Rigatoni are wide, straight-cut tube noodles with bold longitudinal ridges, pressed from the same Apulian durum wheat blend as the rest of the Cipriani pasta range. Not a factory product, but the Harry's Bar recipe in its most robust form.

Cipriani Organic Rigatoni are the widest and most robust tubes in the Cipriani assortment: straight-cut, pressed with bold longitudinal ridges using the *al bronzo* method, and made from a blend of the best Apulian durum wheat selected by Arrigo Cipriani. Where penne ends at a slant, rigatoni is cut straight—providing more surface area for sauce.

Wide, straight-cut, deeply ridged

The longitudinal ridges of the rigatoni are also created using the *al bronzo* process and run along the entire length of the tube.

Compared to the tighter coils of the fusilli or the slender tube of the penne, rigatoni is the most substantial shape in the range—consequently, it usually requires one or two minutes longer to cook.

On the palate, rigatoni is significantly heartier than the slimmer penne, with a firm bite and the same slightly nutty durum wheat aroma found throughout the Cipriani range. The deep ridges and large hollow interior make them the most robust tube shape in the collection—made for sauces that have some weight to them.

Unlike the diagonally cut penne, the rigatoni ends straight—a detail that may seem small at first glance, but ensures more even stacking in the dish when baked in the oven.

Rigatoni al Forno and hearty ragùs

Hardly any other pasta shape works as well in the oven as rigatoni, which becomes a classic cheese-baked dish when prepared as *Rigatoni al Forno*.

A hearty ragù made of minced meat or sausage holds well inside the wide tube, as does a spicy Sansovina pasta sauce. For the baked version, a layer of grated cheese and a few minutes under the broiler are all it takes until the surface is golden brown. For other delicacies from the same house, explore the Cipriani Fine Foods collection.

Even without the oven, rigatoni shines: with a classic Tomato Sugo Passata, a little olive oil, and fresh basil, you hardly need anything else for a satisfying meal.

For a heartier result, the sauce can be extended with a little bacon or *salsiccia*—the wide tube of the rigatoni easily catches even coarser pieces without them slipping out while eating.

Four shapes, one blend, one origin

Rigatoni, penne, fusilli, and spaghetti all come from the same Apulian durum wheat blend and the same small family business.

Their common origin lies in the kitchen of Harry's Bar, which Giuseppe Cipriani opened near Piazza San Marco in Venice in 1931—a place later frequented by Ernest Hemingway. To this day, the selection of grain varieties remains in the hands of Arrigo Cipriani, son of the founder, who values consistency more than variety: each of the four shapes undergoes the same slow drying at low temperatures; only the extrusion mold differs.

Those who wish to try the entire range can find spaghetti, penne, and fusilli in the Cipriani Durum Wheat Pasta collection—and the entire range from the house, from pasta to Bellini, in the Cipriani Food collection.

Until the cheese bubbles, no longer

For the baked version, 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated oven is usually enough until the cheese is bubbling—the rigatoni should not remain in the oven longer, or the edges will dry out.

Leftover *Rigatoni al Forno* tastes almost better the next day when reheated in a pan, allowing the crust to become crispy once more.

Organic inspection body number: IT-BIO-009 Agricultura Italia