Many shoppers grab the nearest or cheapest pasta pack without a second thought. Yet, selecting the right type elevates any meal significantly. Executive chef George Dyer, who manages catering at Lapland Famille, highlights one widespread error: assuming fresh pasta always outperforms dried varieties.
The Superiority of Dried Pasta for Hearty Dishes
Dried pasta excels with robust sauces. “Dried pasta is often the better choice—especially with a ragù, a tomato sauce, nduja, anything with real body to it,” Dyer states. “It can take the heat, it holds the sauce, it doesn’t fall apart on you.”
Best Uses for Fresh Pasta
Reserve fresh pasta for lighter preparations. Dyer notes, “Fresh is wonderful, but it’s delicate. It suits lighter, silkier dishes—brown butter and sage, a simple cream sauce. It’s more of a treat. You wouldn’t throw it into a Sunday ragù.” Pair it thoughtfully to avoid disappointment.
Recommended Supermarket Pasta Brand
For reliable results, Dyer favors one standout option available on UK shelves: De Cecco. “If I’m grabbing pasta off a shelf in the UK, it’s De Cecco—full stop,” he affirms. “It holds its bite, it doesn’t turn to mush, and it behaves properly when you’re finishing it in the sauce.”
This spaghetti pack costs around £2 for 400g. The quality stems from traditional methods. “They’ve stuck with slow drying and proper durum wheat for a long time, and you can taste the difference,” Dyer explains. “There’s a slightly wheaty, nutty flavour that a lot of cheaper dried pastas just don’t have.”
Ultimate Choice: Homemade Pasta
Dyer rarely purchases pasta, opting to craft it fresh. “When I want it to taste like something special, I just make it myself,” he shares. “It’s not as intimidating as people think, and the difference is immediately obvious the moment you taste it.”
