Why We Like It
- A short ingredient list: wheat semolina and nothing else.
- Certified organic, with the organic marks printed on the box.
- The tube shape holds sauces well, so it works in tomato sauces, pesto, bakes and one-pot meals.
Ingredients
Wheat semolina (suji)
Single ingredientCoarsely milled wheat, the traditional base for dry pasta. It is not wholegrain and it contains gluten. Nothing else is listed on the box.
Pure & Sure Penne versus other pastas
| What to compare | Purepicked | Regular pasta |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient list | Wheat semolina only | Often adds stabilisers, colour or fortification |
| Certification | Certified organic | Often not organic |
| Grain | Semolina, not wholegrain | Semolina or refined flour |
Is It For You?
Good for
Vegetarian diets
Cooks who want a short ingredient list
Quick weekday dinners and pasta bakes
Avoid if
Gluten-free diets, since it contains wheat
Wheat-allergy or coeliac households
Anyone who wants a wholegrain pasta
How to use
Boil in salted water until firm to the bite, then drain
Toss with pesto, Alfredo, ragu or a tomato sauce
Bake in a penne casserole
Cook in a one-pot pasta meal or use in a pasta salad
What to look for in Pasta?
Read the ingredient list. Good dry pasta is one item: semolina or durum wheat. Emulsifiers and colours are not needed.
Semolina pasta holds its bite. Pasta made from soft or refined flour turns soft and sticky when cooked.
Whole wheat pasta is darker and firmer. A pale pack is semolina or refined flour, and that is fine as long as it does not claim to be whole wheat.
Check the cooking time on the pack for the shape. Very short times can mean a softer dough.