“Rustichella d’Abruzzo,” a century-old family-owned mill brand from Italy, has officially launched a wide range of new pasta varieties in Taiwan through P&P Food Ltd. Known globally as the “King of Pasta,” Rustichella combines traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation, bringing artisanal pasta with exceptional wheat aroma and texture. With diverse shapes, flavors, and specialty cuts, enjoying pasta is no longer just about taste—it becomes an extraordinary culinary art experience.
Originating from a historic milling family in Abruzzo, Italy, Rustichella was founded in 1924 by Piero Peduzzi, whose deep passion and understanding of wheat inspired the brand’s creation. He believed that “a delicious sauce can save pasta—but truly great pasta makes every sauce exceptional.”
Four Core Craftsmanship Pillars Creating an Unparalleled Culinary Experience
The secret behind Rustichella’s distinctive flavor lies in its commitment to four core artisanal principles:
- Special Bronze Dies & Rustic Surface: The pasta is extruded through custom bronze dies, creating a rough, porous surface—“rustic,” which inspired the name “Rustichella.” This texture allows sauces to cling perfectly to every strand.
- Low-Temperature, Slow Drying: Unlike industrial pasta dried at high heat for only a few hours, Rustichella dries its pasta at 35°C–42°C for over 50 hours. This slow process creates a natural fermented aroma similar to French bread, retains nutrients, and ensures the pasta remains firm even when cooked longer.
- Premium Wheat & Pure Spring Water: Only the finest durum wheat semolina—harvested at peak condition—is selected and blended for ideal protein and gluten levels. Combined with pure mountain spring water from Abruzzo, the pasta delivers unmatched chewiness and a rich wheat flavor.
- Generational Heritage Meets Modern Technology: Rustichella is dedicated to preserving Italy’s regional pasta traditions and has the world’s largest collection of traditional pasta shapes. At the same time, modern technology is employed to ensure consistent, top-tier quality in every batch.
A Pasta So Exceptional That Taiwan’s Top Italian Chefs Were Inspired to Create for It
Regarded as the man who understands Italian cuisine best in Taiwan, Solo Pasta founder Chef Jia-Ping Wang has long held a special admiration for Rustichella. Whenever the brand faced stock shortages in the past, he often struggled to find acceptable substitutes. With the newly expanded selection imported by P&P Food, Chef Wang couldn’t resist creating five signature dishes designed specifically to highlight Rustichella’s unique qualities.
- Squid & Cold Angel Hair (Cappellini freddi): Featuring Rustichella’s rare Squid Ink Angel Hair (Capellini al Nero di Seppia), this cold pasta showcases an iconic seafood flavor paired with tender blanched squid—an eternal classic.
- Neapolitan Fried Pasta Frittatina (Frittatina di Fusilli col Buco): Using the trending Rustichella long fusilli, the pasta is undercooked by 3 minutes, mixed with minced meat sauce and braised oxtail (instead of the traditional ham-pea-white sauce mixture), breaded, and deep-fried for a crisp exterior and rich layered interior.
The long spiraled fusilli acts like edible “steel rods,” locking the filling and pasta together, creating a layered, irresistible bite.
- Sardinian Fregola in Shepherd’s Lamb Broth (Pecora in Cappotto): Traditionally cooked with seafood, fregola is lightly roasted in the oven, giving each bead a unique depth of flavor. Chef Wang pairs this with classic Sardinian-style shepherd’s lamb broth—a fragrant stew of lamb, onions, tomatoes, vegetables, and herbs.
The simplicity yet depth of this lamb broth, combined with the chewy fregola, creates a comforting and memorable dish—especially for lamb lovers.
- Cacio e Pepe Chitarra: Named after the guitar-like tool used to cut it, chitarra pasta features square edges and a firm bite. This classic Roman dish uses only black pepper and pecorino cheese, creating a bold and satisfying flavor profile.
- Bolognese with Egg Garganelli (Garganelli all’Uovo): Garganelli’s overlapping folded shape creates a delightful contrast between soft and firm textures. It is ideal for capturing fine meat sauces within its ridged structure.
“If the folded center becomes fully soft, the outer layers would turn mushy—this interplay of textures is exactly what makes garganelli fascinating,” Chef Wang explains.
- Starlit Cannoli (Anelletti Fritti con Ricotta): Traditionally baked with meat sauce or eggplant in Sicily, Chef Wang reimagines anelletti (ring pasta) by soaking and refrigerating it to form a soft dough, then deep-frying it into a crisp shell—replacing the traditional cannoli pastry. A symbolic nod to ‘commitment,’ this inventive Sicilian-inspired dessert is both meaningful and delicious.
50 of Taiwan’s Most Demanding Chefs Join a Blind Pasta Challenge
At the tasting event, chefs participated in a blind pasta test—letting the pasta speak for itself.
Three pasta samples were cooked strictly according to their recommended cooking times, labeled only with numbers. After tasting, chefs voted immediately. Over 90% were able to identify Rustichella instantly—the chew, aroma, and wheat flavor far surpassed typical pasta on the market.
Today, Rustichella stands as one of the world’s most prestigious artisanal pasta brands. Beyond product innovation, the brand embraces sustainability, using 100% recyclable paper and natural inks to reduce environmental impact.
Rustichella hopes that through their dedication to pasta craftsmanship, they can bring people together—sharing the joy, warmth, and authenticity found in every dish.
About Rustichella d’Abruzzo
Founded in 1924 in Abruzzo, Italy, Rustichella d’Abruzzo is a premium pasta maker known for its bronze-die extrusion and low-temperature drying methods. Using only the finest durum wheat semolina and pure local spring water, the brand continues to innovate while preserving traditional Italian pasta-making heritage.
Available at: Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Beauty Market, Mia C’bon Premium Supermarket, citySuper, Momo, Hao-O Food Hub, Fuxing Rice Shop
