Top 24 Neapolitan Pasta Varieties

Pastificio dei Campi is a renowned pasta producer from Gragnano, Italy, with a rich tradition of crafting high-quality pasta. Founded in 2007 by Giuseppe and Giovanna Di Martino, the company is dedicated to preserving the ancient art of pasta-making, which has flourished in Gragnano for over 500 years. Giuseppe Di Martino, a third-generation pasta maker, recognized the importance of full traceability of raw materials. He initiated a collaboration with farmers in Apulia, particularly from the Tavoliere and Sub-Apennine Daunia regions, to secure high-quality durum wheat grown without chemical fertilizers or glyphosate, using only ancient grain varieties. Their commitment to quality and authenticity has earned them global recognition, and their pasta is considered one of the finest Italian pastas.Expand

Pastificio Gentile is a renowned Italian pasta producer from Gragnano, a city known as the "pasta capital" in the Campania region. Founded in 1876, Pastificio Gentile is one of the historic pasta makers that continues to use traditional methods in its production. Their pasta is made from high-quality durum wheat and shaped using bronze dies, which give it a rough texture that helps sauces adhere better. A key feature of their process is the slow drying at low temperatures, known as the Metodo Cirillo, which preserves the pasta’s nutritional value and authentic flavor. Their product range includes handmade varieties like Fusilli Fatti a Mano, as well as classic formats such as Spaghettone and Lumaconi.Expand

Pastificio Liguori is renowned for its tradition dating back to 1795, specializing in the production of authentic pasta from Gragnano. Their pasta carries the prestigious IGP certification, ensuring quality and a strong connection to local traditions. Pasta production at Liguori follows strict methods, including slow drying at low temperatures, which ensures perfect texture and flavor. All products are made with carefully selected grains and water sourced from the Monte Lattari springs. The company utilizes blockchain technology to ensure full transparency and traceability of all ingredients. Liguori is committed to preserving natural resources and implementing sustainable practices in production. Pasta Liguori recognizes the importance of time as its "secret ingredient" in achieving exceptional quality.Expand

Pastificio Setaro is an esteemed Italian pasta manufacturer located in Torre Annunziata, near Naples. Established in 1939, this family-run business has been dedicated to the art of pasta-making for three generations. They specialize in producing artisanal pasta using traditional methods, including bronze die extrusion and slow drying at low temperatures, which contribute to the pasta's unique texture and ability to absorb sauces effectively. Setaro offers a diverse range of pasta shapes, catering to both local and international markets, and is highly regarded by gourmet enthusiasts and chefs worldwide. Their commitment to quality and tradition has solidified their reputation as a leading producer of authentic Italian pasta.Expand

La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano, located in the heart of Gragnano, near Sorrento, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast, is a family-owned pasta manufacturer with a rich tradition spanning three generations. The company is a pioneer in the art of crafting artisanal pasta and was the first in Gragnano to receive the prestigious Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certification, ensuring the authenticity and quality of their products. The company's product line includes over 100 pasta shapes, catering to both traditional and creative culinary needs. Their iconic "Paccheri" and "Scialatielli" are renowned worldwide, and they also produce gluten-free and organic pasta options to accommodate diverse dietary preferences. La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano has earned international acclaim, with their products gracing the tables of fine dining establishments and gourmet shops globally. Their dedication to maintaining tradition while embracing innovation has solidified their reputation as one of the finest pasta producers in Italy, and a true ambassador of Italian culinary excellence.Expand

Pasta Garofalo is a historic pasta brand established in 1789, located in Gragnano, Italy, a town famous for its pasta production. The company is known for its high-quality pasta, which is made from the finest durum wheat, and has earned the prestigious IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) certification. Garofalo offers a diverse range of pasta types, including classic semolina, whole wheat, gluten-free, and legume-based varieties, catering to various dietary preferences. Their pasta is carefully crafted using traditional methods, ensuring excellent texture and flavor in every bite. In addition to pasta, Garofalo produces other Italian food products, such as extra virgin olive oil and flours, all made with the same commitment to quality. The company emphasizes sustainability and social responsibility in its operations. It continuously innovates while staying true to its roots in Italian culinary tradition. Garofalo’s dedication to quality and authenticity has made it one of the most respected pasta brands in the world.Expand

Pastificio di Martino is a renowned Italian pasta producer based in Gragnano, a town famous for its pasta-making tradition. Established in 1912, the company has over a century of experience in crafting high-quality pasta using 100% Italian durum wheat semolina. Their pasta is known for its superior texture, achieved through bronze die extrusion, which enhances sauce absorption. The brand follows a slow drying process at low temperatures, preserving the natural flavors and nutritional properties of the wheat. Di Martino offers a wide range of pasta shapes, from traditional varieties like spaghetti and penne to specialty and regional formats. The company is also known for its collaborations with luxury brands, such as Dolce & Gabbana, creating limited-edition packaging that combines fashion and food. With a strong international presence, Di Martino exports its products to over 35 countries, bringing authentic Italian pasta to tables worldwide. Their commitment to quality, tradition, and innovation has made them a benchmark in the premium pasta industry.Expand

Gerardo Di Nola is an Italian pasta manufacturer based in Gragnano, a town renowned for its pasta-making tradition. The company has been producing high-quality artisanal pasta since 1870, maintaining a strong connection to local traditions while embracing modern innovations. Their pasta is made using the finest Italian durum wheat semolina and local water, with bronze dies used to shape the pasta, ensuring that it holds sauces beautifully. Gerardo Di Nola focuses on slow drying processes to preserve flavor and texture. Their product range includes both short and long pasta, as well as specialty varieties like fusilli and maccheroni.Expand

Pastificio Afeltra, established in 1848, is a historic Italian pasta producer located in Gragnano, Campania - a town renowned as the World Capital of Pasta. Situated on Via Roma, historically known as the strada dei pastai or pasta makers street, Afeltra has been crafting traditional pasta for over a century. Afeltra uses 100% Italian heirloom durum wheat semolina and natural spring water sourced from the Monti Lattari mountains. The pasta is bronze-die extruded, giving it a rough texture that enhances sauce adherence. It undergoes a slow-drying process at low temperatures, preserving its nutritional value and flavor. Expand

Pastificio D'Aragona, established in 2013, is an Italian pasta producer located in Gragnano, Campania - a town renowned for its rich pasta-making heritage. Drawing from over fifty years of experience in the art of white flour production, the company is dedicated to crafting high-quality pasta that embodies the authentic flavors of the region. Pastificio D'Aragona uses semolina derived exclusively from Italian durum wheat, ensuring superior quality and flavor in their pasta products. The pasta is extruded through bronze dies, resulting in a rough texture that enhances sauce adherence, a hallmark of traditional Gragnano pasta.​ Emphasizing traditional methods, the pasta undergoes a slow drying process at low temperatures, ranging from 14 to 60 hours depending on the shape, to preserve its nutritional value and taste.​Expand

The production of Gragnano pasta dates back to the late 16th century when the first family-run pasta factories were established in the area. Ever since Gragnano became known as the City of Macaroni and the remains of artefacts used in the pasta-making process can still be seen today along the route to the ancient Vallone dei Mulini (lit. Valley of the Mills) in Sorrento, province of Naples. The pasta must be produced within the city of Gragnano and made only with durum wheat semolina and low-calcium water from local aquifers. It is available in several distinctive shapes: Calamarata, Pennoni, Vermicelli, Penne, Caccavella, Conchiglioni, Pacchero or Schiaffone and Gragnano Fusilli. Once cooked, it has a firm, non-sticky consistency, maintains its shape well, and has a strong flavor of durum semolina with a pronounced aroma of ripe wheat. Gragnano pasta binds perfectly with all kinds of sauces and the versatility of its shapes makes it suitable for any recipe.Expand

Lasagna is a type of pasta with its own sub-group of numerous flavorful lasagna dishes. The main theory about the history of lasagna is that the word can be traced back to the Greek word laganon, denoting a flat sheet of dough that is cut into strips. There is also another Greek word, lasanon, denoting an ancient crock-pot. The Romans adopted the word and turned it into lasanum, also referring to a cooking vessel, so lasagna is believed to refer to the vessel it was cooked in. In fact, the dough sheets inspired the Greek version of lasagne in a dish called pastitsio. The pasta is traditionally made from flour and water, and is usually boiled in plenty of salted water, then sauced and baked. Wheat flour is commonly used today, but in the past, lasagna was also made with emmer, rye, chestnut, and corn flour, while saffron, spinach, or chard were used for coloring. Although the first recipe for lasagna is traced back to Naples, the term lasagna was coined in the 16th century in Trento, Italy, and the dish was reserved for festive days, consisting of layered pasta with fillings and sauces. In the 1800s, there was an emergence of baked lasagna dishes, known as lasagne al forno, especially in the south. Of all the lasagne dishes, the most famous one is surely the bolognesi, available in almost every restaurant in Bologna today.Expand

Calamarata is a variety of Italian pasta that is cut in the shape of a thick ring. It is made from durum wheat flour, and is sometimes colored with squid ink in order to resemble sliced calamari. The pasta is often used in a dish called calamarata Napoletana, where it is combined with seafood such as squid, clams, and shrimp.Expand

This tube-shaped Italian pasta variety was invented around 1907 by a Neapolitan chef Nicola Federico, who was working at a popular restaurant in Sorrento called La Favoria at the time. Originally called strascinati, the pasta was later renamed to cannelloni after gaining popularity due to an influx of people from Naples into Sorrento during World War II. Cannelloni are usually stuffed with meat, cheese, or vegetables, then baked in sauces based on tomatoes or cream. The pasta pairs well with meats such as beef, pork, and veal, cheeses such as mozzarella and ricotta, vegetables such as carrots, spinach, and celery, along with various sauces, herbs, apples, and walnuts.Expand

Mafaldine is an Italian variety of pasta named after Princess Mafalda of Savoy, which is the reason why the pasta is sometimes known as reginette, meaning little queens. Hailing from the Naples area, mafaldine were also called fettuccelle ricce in the past. The pasta is ribbon-shaped, flat, wide, and has wavy edges on both sides. The consistency differs on the smooth and curled parts once the pasta has been cooked, and the curled parts retain more sauce than the smooth parts. Mafaldine are usually served with special, delicate sauces and paired with ingredients such as shrimps, cherry tomatoes, cheese, sausages, or mushrooms. The sauces that are especially popular with mafaldine include game sauces, ragú Napoletano, fish sauces made from seafood or shellfish, and white sauces made from soft cheeses with the addition of ginger, horseradish, or saffron.Expand

This is a dry, short variety of pasta made with durum wheat and water. In northern Italy, it usually refers to an extruded type of pasta with a tubular shape, a categorization that has been accepted in most other parts of the world as well. However, in the rest of Italy, the term macaroni can also signify numerous other types of pasta of varying size and shape. In the past, the Italian word maccheroni was a generic name used to refer to all varieties of dry pasta, a category known today as pasta secca. The origin of macaroni is often traced to Naples, and it is believed to be an authentic Italian invention influenced by Arabian tradition. The word macaroni is thought to be a derivation of the Greek word makaria, signifying food made from barley, or the Arab maccare, which means ‘to knead’. Although it is not known exactly when macaroni was invented, and the etymology of the name is vague, a certain fact is that it was originally a food item enjoyed exclusively by the privileged aristocracy until the 18th century, by which time it had become a staple ingredient enjoyed by all classes. Macaroni might come in different forms and sizes, but the term usually refers to pasta varieties resembling narrow tubes. In Italy, the preferred variety is long and straight, while the Americans predominantly use the curved type, popularly called ‘elbow pasta’. In some Slavic countries – Russia in particular – the word macaroni is still used today to refer to all types of pasta. Macaroni is used in an array of dishes, and is usually combined with sauces based on meat, vegetables, or cheese, the most popular being the omnipresent tomato sauce. It can also be added to soups or casseroles, but undoubtedly the best-known dish incorporating macaroni is the world famous mac and cheese.Expand

Scialatelli is a fresh, handmade Italian pasta variety that looks almost the same as tagliatelle. The pasta is flat, long, and tightened, consisting of semolina flour, water, and eggs. It is recommended to serve scialatelli with robust tomato sauces, vegetables, and fresh herbs, although the pasta can also be paired with dairy-based sauces, mascarpone, and other soft cheeses. On the Amalfi coast, scialatelli are served with fresh local seafood and the dish is known as scialatelli all'Amalfitana.Expand

Creste di galli is a traditional pasta variety hailing from Napoli. It's characterized by its short, curved, and tubular shape with ruffled edges that run along the outside curve. The pasta shape is named after the red and wavy crest on a rooster's head. It's recommended to serve creste di galli in soup or with hearty sauces, but the pasta can also be used in casseroles. If this pasta type is unavailable, it can be replaced with farfalle or gigli.Expand

Zitoni is a traditional type of pasta that's especially popular in Naples and Sicily. This wide, hollowed-out, tubular pasta is essentially a larger version of ziti pasta. Similar to large bucatini, zitoni are wider than ziti, but the length remains the same, although the pasta is traditionally broken by hand into smaller pieces before cooking. Zitoni are often paired with simple tomato sauces and they’re most commonly used in casseroles and baked pasta dishes.Expand