Cestini (meaning "little baskets" in Italian)—from renowned Italian pasta producer Rustichella d’Abruzzo—is a medium sized, shell-shaped pasta, perfect for holding a variety of sauces. It is equally delizioso with hearty meat and cheese-based sauces as well as more delicate preparations like tossed with fresh pomodoro sauce or finely diced sautéed vegetables and plenty of extra virgin olive oil.
These little basketfuls are also lovely in baked pasta dishes—use in your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe, try them in our weeknight favorite Cheesy Chicken Parmigiana Pasta or toss Cestini with Rustichella d’Abruzzo Tomato Basil Sauce, blanket with grated mozzarella cheese and bake to bubbling perfection.
About the Producer
In the town of Pianella in Italy's Abruzzo region, artisan pasta maker Gianluigi Peduzzi of Rustichella d'Abruzzo maintains a proud tradition started by his grandfather. He starts by choosing the best semolina from select durum wheat and mixing it with pure mountain spring water. The dough is then shaped using the same hand-carved bronze dies that Gianluigi’s grandfather used a century ago, giving the pasta just the right texture to capture all kinds of sauce. Lastly, slow drying in temperature controlled chambers for at least 56 hours imparts flavor and texture unlike any ordinary mass-produced pasta.
All the Rustichella d'abruzzo pastas are wonderful and the Cestini is no exception. I love the shape of these shells -- perfect for a baked dish or for sauces or cold pasta salad.
S
Sara
Baskets of Pasta Joy
I LOVE Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta and was thrilled to see this new shape. The little cup each piece has really does catch your sauce. I like tossing with little sausage bits and tomato sauce. Delicious!
