Spaghetti Artisan Pasta Cav. Giuseppe Cocco (4 pack) Hand-made, slow dried (500g) from Italy

Purchased this four pack of Cocco Artisan Pasta on the basis of a recommendation from the host of a youtube cooking channel. I don't include pasta in my own nutritional plan on a regular basis, as I live better on a very low carb diet. I do need to know how to cook for people with a range of preferences. This youtube host (Vincenzo) provides a comprehensive discussion of pasta. in terms of quality, beginning with the Dollar Store/Big Box brands and finishing with the world's best. Of the best of the best I chose Cocco just for the free shipping. The others were listed as "shipped directly from Italy" and shipping costs were quite high.Cocco Artisan Pasta has a slightly rough surface, in comparison to the super-smooth surface of the well-known. mass produced brands. The purpose of the rougher surface is better contact with sauces. Now that I have prepared Cocco Artisan Pasta I have noticed another advantage. Prepared carefully and properly, the strands of this pasta have a patina and a way of reflecting back light which is quite beautiful. In addition, with this slightly roughened surface, the strands hold together on a plate. There's no slipping around on the plate, in the way of slick, smooth cheapee spaghetti noodles.The reason for the slick surfaces of supermarket/big box store brands is that these products are processed in chemically treated tubes at high rates of speed.Packages of Cocco Artisan Pasta all have the Italian word for "bronze" printed under the name, meaning that the strands were formed in traditional bronze molds. Production time is MUCH slower, but the final product is MUCH more wonderful in terms of texture and flavor.I prepared this pasta in the recommended amount of water (almost a gallon of water, in a stock-pot sized extra deep sauce-pan) and added in a bit of salt but NO oil. This pasta, prepared in this generous amount of water, does not require the usual dosing with boiling oil.As my plan was to prepare this pasta with a simple dressing of olive oil, chopped parsley, and basil, I did not want to be adding oil to the boiling water.1/2 packet of this pasta, prepared in a full gallon of water, turned out just right, with no "glomming together" of the strands.Purchaser of this pasta should probably keep in mind that at this time "free shipping" seems to be for pasta with a January 2022 production date. This being the end of 2023, I'm going to be using my four packs within the next few months. I was sort of planning to vac seal and stash three of the packs. With awareness that any package of pasta should be used/consumed within about 2.5 years, I'll be preparing my 3.5 remaining packages sooner than I planned.Comparable artisan pasta brands with more recent production dates are sent directly from Italy, and shipping costs as much as the pasta. This pasta (Cocco Artisan) tastes fresh and lovely as a prepared, finished dish. I have been absolutely pleased with this purchase. I'm just not going to be waiting too long to use it.I do recommend Cocco Artisan Pasta.

The taste and texture of this pasta couldn't be better. It really doesn't even taste like normal spaghetti, the kind you use to sop up some meat sauce. It's chewy and very flavorful. Regular spaghetti hardly has any flavor at all and typically Cooks up pretty soft and mushy. I would say that regular spaghetti is just that, spaghetti. This is like some kind of fine pasta that really has some taste to it and a completely different texture.

This pasta is the best pasta. Treat yourself.It stays firm and has little to no starch. I am Italian.I know good pasta!!

Love this pasta. Flavor and texture excellent

Easy to get to al dente and soaks up the pasta sauce

This pasta is very good

Any pasta from this brand is outstanding. Not cheap, but also not so expensive that it gets ridiculous. I would not buy this and then open a jar of sauce from the supermarket to pour over, that would be a waste of money. But if you're making a nice sauce from scratch, it's worth buying really good pasta to eat with it. At least that's how I see it. Spend some time making a great ragout that simmers for hours, or a sauce from fresh garden tomatoes, don't toss it with cheap pasta. At least buy De Cecco pasta, not Barilla (the Budweiser of Italian pasta, LOL).Even at 2-3 times the cost of cheap pasta, we're not talking huge amounts of money here, and good things do have their price.

Great ingredients and great taste.