Product related questions
Yes, you can tell just by looking at it. Good pasta will have a unique yellow color. Properly grown, stored, milled, and dried, pasta will have very few defects such as black specks, white spots, or cracks. During cooking, the pasta will not clump together or form surface stickiness, and it should have good texture and elasticity upon chewing. Visually the pasta should be an amber yellow color, uniform in size and shape, and without grayish or reddish shades. Quality pasta will have a pleasant taste and aroma, and always cook al dente.
Please refer to each individual product page and or product label.
We have a company-wide policy of not using any raw materials in our products that contain genetically modified organisms. For more information please visit http://www.barillagroup.com/corporate/en/home/media/posizioni-aziendali/gmo.html.
Barilla's durum wheat semolina pasta does not contain dairy or come in contact with dairy on the lines. Our Chicken Alfredo Microwaveable Meal, Three Cheese sauce as well as our filled Tortellini products do contain dairy as an ingredient.
Barilla's durum wheat semolina pasta does not contain any nuts, nut products, or soy. The lines used to produce our pastas are not used to make any products containing nuts or soy.
The quality of pasta is very dependent upon the kind of wheat used and the manufacturing process. Barilla uses a blend of the finest durum wheat to produce the semolina that makes our pasta. Barilla's innovative milling process and methods assure the high quality and excellent cooking properties of our pasta.
Barilla's shelf-stable Tortellini is a perfect balance between a thin, delicate layer of pasta and a flavorful, authentic Italian filling. The pasta complements the filling and does not overpower it. Barilla Tortellini is not chewy or doughy, and does not break or fall apart during cooking.
Pasta should be stored in a cool, dry place such as a cupboard or pantry.
The Mediteranean style of eating is celebrated as one of the healthiest in the world. Pasta is a cornerstone of this lifestyle, and in fact it is eaten regularly in Italy. Pasta is not only an affordable, healthy family meal choice, but also provides a delicious culinary vehicle in which to incorporate more vegetables, legumes and other healthy foods into your eating plan.
Please refer to each individual product page and or product label.
Yes. The process used to prepare our Tortellini involves pasteurization of the cheeses in our fillings.
Our exquisite line of Tortellini, with sophisticated Italian flavors inside every mouth-watering bite. You will find distinctive natural flavor notes all perfectly blended with the smooth texture of the richest ricotta cheese.
This is the date on our packaging that Barilla recommends the product be consumed by. Past this date, Barilla cannot guarantee the product's freshness.
The recommended serving size is 2 ounces of uncooked pasta, which equals approximately 1 cup of cooked pasta. For a detailed conversion of dry vs. cooked pasta visit our conversion chart located in the Pasta Measuring FAQ.
Durum wheat is a hard wheat that when milled properly produces high-quality semolina. It is high quality because semolina has proteins in it that contain elevated quantities of gluten. These attributes, along with the compact structure of semolina, allow Barilla Pasta to maintain its cooking consistency, delicious flavor, and al dente texture.
Legend claims that Tortellini was inspired by the goddess Venus' navel. An Italian medieval legend tells how Venus and Zeus, weary one night after their involvement in a battle between Bologna and Modena, arrive at a tavern in a small town on the outskirts of Bologna. After eating a hearty dinner and becoming slightly drunk, they decide to share a bedroom. The innkeeper, captivated after watching them, creeps to their room and peeks through the keyhole of the bedroom door. However, all he can see through the keyhole is the naval of Venus. This vision leaves him spellbound – so much so that he immediately rushes to the kitchen and creates a pasta inspired by Venus' navel…and so was born the Tortellini.
Barilla recommends storing an opened jar of sauce in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. The remaining sauce may be frozen at any time during the 3-5 days; simply transfer the sauceto a freezer-safe container and it will be good for up to 3 months.
The shelf life on our products vary. For the very best quality and taste, Barilla recommends using our pasta by the "best if used by" date found on our packaging.
Barilla's tomato-based sauces are "flexible" and diverse; they go very well with either long or short pasta shapes. For a detailed explanation, please click on the Barilla Pasta & Sauce Pairing
Cooking related questions
Always use plenty of water when cooking pasta – at least one quart of water for every quarter pound of pasta. Be sure to use a large enough pot to allow the pasta plenty of room to cook properly. The typical procedure for cooking pasta is to bring 6-8 quarts of water to a boil; add salt; add the pasta, and cook according to the package directions. For our Pronto, no boil, no drain pasta, cook entire box of pasta with 3 cups of water in one pan, over high heat. Typical cooking time for Pronto pasta is about 10 minutes, but please refer to instructions on the package for complete cooking time. Draining is not needed.
Pasta provides steady energy. Cooking pasta perfectly ‘al dente’ (still slightly firm) allows you to reap the full benefits of pasta’s already strong ability to increase satiety, delaying hunger pangs and providing fuel for working muscles long after meals. Due to the special protein structure of traditional pasta dough, pasta has a low to medium glycemic index (GI) value depending on the cut, which means that the body digests it more slowly than most other carbohydrates. That’s true for pasta that’s made from either soft or hard wheat. To keep the GI value low, cook your pasta to ‘al dente.’
Preparing Barilla Tortellini is incredibly simple and foolproof. Just add the Tortellini to boiling water and let it cook for 10 to 11 minutes. To finish, you can add sauce or simply drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and grate some fresh Parmesan on top to create a delicious, authentic Italian dish. Another delicious option is to cook the Tortellini in broth, such as chicken broth.
To make a Tortellini salad, cook the Tortellini, drain (do not rinse in water) toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking and let cool uncovered at room temperature for 10 minutes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients for the salad. Add these ingredients to the Tortellini, mix well and serve. We do not recommend making a Tortellini salad in advance.
Adding oil to the pasta water does not stop pasta from sticking together. Using Barilla's high-quality pasta and using the correct proportion of water to pasta ratio will prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Salt is always used in preparing pasta in Italy. A touch of salt in the water brings out the flavor of the pasta. Sea salt is recommend since it is a natural product that enhances the flavor without creating salty-tasting pasta. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, the salt may be omitted.
Pasta should not be rinsed after cooking. This method was utilized to rinse excess starch off the pasta. When poor-quality wheat is used, the pasta releases too much starch and sticks together. Because Barilla pasta is made with high-quality durum wheat, the natural starches released from our pasta complement the pasta meal. These starches allow the sauce to adhere to the pasta better.
You may prepare lasagne up to 24 hours in advance without baking it. Prepare and store the lasagne in the refrigerator at or below 40 degrees F. Since the lasagne will be cold it will require a longer baking time, approximately 60 minutes at 375 degrees F. If your recipe calls for egg, the cooking time will be approximately 1 hour and 10 – 1 hour and 20 minutes. Make sure the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees F.
For best results, we recommend that you do not bake the lasagna before freezing. You may assemble the lasagna in a freezer safe/oven safe container, cover tightly and freeze. When you are ready to bake the lasagna, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes. If your recipe calls for egg, the baking time will be approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
It depends on the number of guests you are expecting, but each family-size 12-ounce package yields 4 to 6 servings.