Flour + Water Organic Penne Rigate

Ridged penne with real bite and the rough surface a bronze die leaves behind. Pesto, a baked pasta, a tomato sauce with Triana capers, a cold pasta salad that stays firm.

The story begins in 2009, when Flour + Water opened in San Francisco’s Mission District. Its approach brought regional Italian cooking into conversation with Northern California ingredients, with handmade pasta at the heart of the table.

Chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow carry that culinary direction through the restaurant and the wider Flour + Water family. At Penny Roma, the emphasis is on the warmth and generosity of a neighborhood Italian meal. The Pasta Shop is both a place to eat and a working home for pasta production, while the Pizzeria explores the same fascination with dough.

Flour + Water Foods grew from that restaurant experience. Developed by the two chefs and refined in their test kitchen, the dried pasta collection translates their attention to grain, shape and texture into something you can keep on the shelf and cook whenever the evening calls for it.

Extruding pasta through bronze dies gives it a rough, porous exterior. On penne rigate, that surface works with the ridges to help sauce cling, while the open tubes catch smaller pieces of vegetables or ragù. The result is a more satisfying balance of pasta and sauce in each forkful.

• A simple supper: tomato and basil sauce, a finishing drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
• For a slower evening: a mushroom ragù with thyme, or a gently simmered meat sauce.
• Something fresh: peas, lemon zest and a little butter, finished with black pepper.
• For the whole table: baked penne with tomato, mozzarella and a crisp Parmesan top.

Cook in a large pot of boiling salted water, following the timing on your pack and tasting for an al dente bite. Reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining. Finish the pasta in a warm pan with your sauce, adding a little reserved water as needed to bring everything together.

Flour + Water Foods contributes 1% of its proceeds through its partnership with Zero Foodprint, supporting farms and ranches as they transition to regenerative agriculture practices.

• Net weight: 16 oz / 1 lb (453 g), as labeled on the box
• Maker: Flour + Water Foods
• Style: organic dried penne rigate; bronze-die extruded
• Origin: United States, with organic North American semolina
• Ingredients: organic North American semolina flour and water
• Allergen information: contains wheat; manufactured in a facility that uses eggs
• Dietary suitability: vegan ingredients
• Storage: keep in a cool, dry place
• Sold individually: one box of dried pasta; prepared dishes shown are serving suggestions

Complete the supper with our olive oils, or find more inspiration in the Lello Kitchen.

What sauces suit penne rigate best? Tomato sauces, vegetable sauces, ragù and baked preparations all benefit from the ridges and hollow center.

Why reserve pasta water? Its starch helps sauce emulsify and cling to the rough bronze-die surface.

Is it vegan? The listed ingredients are organic semolina and water; the pasta is made in a facility that also uses eggs.

• “clutched at the sauce” — Andrew Cotto. Editorial review originally published on Appetito, June 26, 2023.
• Selected positive excerpts about this product; purchases were made elsewhere. The writer tested Flour + Water penne in a pasta salad; this excerpt describes the pasta’s textured surface.
• Full reviews and context: https://appetitomagazine.com/reviews/appetito-review-flour-water-pasta