Flour + Water Organic Spaghetti

Rough-surfaced and properly chewy, with the wheat flavor you only get from slow drying. It holds sauce. Cacio e pepe, a simple tomato, or spaghetti al limone with the Il Boschetto lemon oil.

The original Flour + Water opened in San Francisco’s Mission District in 2009. Its kitchen explored the meeting of regional Italian traditions and Northern California ingredients, with handmade pasta at the heart of the menu.

That fascination with pasta is carried forward by chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow. Beyond the original restaurant, the Flour + Water family includes Penny Roma, the Pasta Shop and the Pizzeria: different places to gather, connected by their attention to ingredients, technique and hospitality.

The two chefs developed Flour + Water Foods to bring that sensibility into home kitchens. Refined in their test kitchen, the dried pasta line turns years of restaurant experience into a shelf-stable staple. For Lello, it is an appealing combination: an everyday ingredient, a distinctive maker and a good reason to cook.

The bronze-die process creates a rough, porous exterior that gives sauce something to hold onto. With a long shape such as spaghetti, that texture helps a simple sauce coat the strands from end to end. It is especially useful when the ingredients are few and the balance between pasta, sauce and seasoning matters most.

• Cacio e pepe: Pecorino Romano, freshly ground black pepper and a little starchy pasta water for a classic Roman supper.
• Spaghetti al pomodoro: a good tomato sauce, torn basil and a finishing drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Aglio e olio: gently warmed garlic, olive oil, parsley and a touch of chili for an effortless pantry meal.
• For a seafood evening: clams, garlic, parsley and white wine, with the spaghetti finished in the fragrant pan juices.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, allowing the strands to soften and settle into the water, then stir to separate them. Follow the timing on your box and taste for an al dente bite. Reserve a cup of cooking water before draining.

Finish the spaghetti in a wide pan with your sauce, tossing and adding reserved water a little at a time until the sauce coats the strands. For cacio e pepe, let the pan cool slightly before incorporating the finely grated cheese to help keep the sauce smooth.

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

• Maker: Flour + Water Foods
• Net weight: 16 oz / 1 lb (453 g)
• Style: organic dried spaghetti; 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

Choose an extra virgin olive oil to finish the dish, explore our pasta collection, or find more inspiration in the Lello Kitchen.

Why does bronze-die spaghetti matter? The matte, rough surface gives simple sauces more grip, especially emulsions made from olive oil, cheese or pasta water.

How much does one box serve? A 16 oz box generally makes four main-course portions, depending on appetite and sauce.

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

• “adding a noticeable layer of flavor” — 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 spaghetti in aglio e olio.
• Full reviews and context: https://appetitomagazine.com/reviews/appetito-review-flour-water-pasta