Q. Why are your fresh pasta different than dried pasta from the store?
A. Fresh. Because it contains eggs and additional water, fresh pasta is more tender than dried and takes about half the time to cook. Its delicate light silky texture.
Q. Are your pasta and ravioli organic?
A. Some of our fruits and vegetables are organic, but not all, as many of the local farms we utilize can not afford to be certified. Additionally the durum and semolina flours we source from growers in the Dakotas are not organic.
Q. Why is your pasta and ravioli frozen?
A. We freeze our pasta and ravioli for you to preserve the shelf life and keep it fresh. Fresh pasta is only good for seven to ten days and fresh ravioli are only good for two to three days. If you want fresh stop by our shop or one of the farmers markets. We make it and immediately flash freeze the pasta and ravioli so you can enjoy!
Q. How do I thaw the pasta and ravioli?
A. You DON’T. The ravioli cook in four to five minutes from frozen and the pasta only takes about one to three depending on the cut.
Q. How and when do you ship your orders?
A. Typically, we process and ship orders Monday through Thursday via FedEx, UPS, and USPS for delivery within 1 business days to the Eastern united States. Our pasta and ravioli is shipped frozen in an insulated cooler on dry ice. For additional details, visit SHIPPING & PACKAGING.
Q. What if my pasta and ravioli is thawed upon receiving it via delivery?
Although very uncommon, it is possible that some pasta and ravioli may thaw more than expected during the delivery process. In most cases, your pasta and ravioli can be refrozen without consequence. Just make sure they aren't totally stuck together. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Q. Can I track my order?
A. Yes. On the day that we ship your order, you will receive an email from FedEx with a tracking number and instructions on how to check the progress of your delivery.
Q. Where do you ship?
Because we're just getting started, at this point we ship (for free!) to any location in FedEx's 1-day shipping zone from Pleasant Gap, PA, as highlighted in yellow on the map below. We hope to expand to the entire eastern United States soon! If you're outside the zone but still want to try our service, let us know. We may be able to accommodate you. Additional fees may apply.
General Questions
Q: How long should I boil long pasta?
A: It depends on the thickness of the pasta and your preference on the “al dente-ness” of the pasta. For all pasta, begin with 6 quarts of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil (add salt if desired). For thicker fresh pasta (fettuccini or linguine) add it to the boiling water, stir with a fork to separate the pasta if necessary, and let cook for 3-4 minutes for al dente. If the thick pasta is frozen, cook for 5-6 minutes. For thin, fresh pasta (angel hair, pappardelle, spaghetti), boil the same amount of water but only cook for 1-2 minutes. If the thin pasta is frozen, cook for 3-4 minutes.
Q: How long should I boil ravioli?
A: Bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Submerge the frozen ravioli in light boiling water, then cook for 4-5 minutes. Avoid stirring aggressively as it can break apart the ravioli, causing the delicious fillings to boil out.
Q: How can I keep my pasta from sticking together?
A: It’s quite simple! There are two methods: 1. You can add oil to your boiling water. The oil should penetrate the pasta enough that once drained, it will stay separated. The second method is: you can gently toss the oil with your pasta in a bowl after you drain it
Q: In what quantitIes do you sell your pasta?
A: We have several different types of pasta, sold in different weights. All of our fettuccine is sold in ¼ lb. “coils,” so if you want a pound of fettuccine, you would receive four coils. All of our long, extruded pasta, such as angel hair, linguine, linguette, spaghetti, and pappardelle, are sold in 12 ounce bundles. Our short pasta, such as rigatoni and radiatori are sold in 12 ounce packages, while penne and fusilli are sold in one pound packages. Our ravioli are sold by the pound.
Q: What sauce pairs well with my ravioli?
A: Check out our ravioli selection with sauce pairing suggestions for each variety here.
Q: Do you make gluten-free pasta?
A: We do not have a gluten-free line
Q: How long will fresh pasta stay in the refrigerator?
A: We recommend only keeping your fresh pasta in the refrigerator for 10 to 14 days. Any longer and it begins drying out. If you buy your pasta more than a week in advance, you can freeze it for up to 6 months. Freezing has very little, if any, effect on taste. The only difference is that you may have to cook it a minute or two longer.
Q: I’m having a party. How much pasta should I buy per person?
A: We say that generally, ¼ lb. of pasta is a serving. Our ravioli is sold by the pound. One pound will feed 3-4 people, depending on their appetites.
Q: Do I need to thaw my ravioli before cooking?
A: No need to thaw! Just throw the frozen ravioli in boiling water, and you’re ready to go. Fresh ravioli tend to stick to one another, so we freeze it for your convenience.
Q: Do you take orders?
A: Of course! If you have a special request, we are more than happy to accommodate it. To place an order, call the shop or stop by.
Q: Why should I buy fresh pasta instead of dried pasta from the grocery store?
A: The quality of ingredients in fresh pasta are far superior to dried pasta. The texture, flavor, and variety of fresh pasta is glaringly better. Once you have fresh pasta, you’ll see what you’ve been missing!
Q: Do you have a menu?
A: We do not have a full menu, however, we are happy to tell you what varieties we have if you stop in the shops or call us. We do have egg, wheat, spinach, and roasted red pepper fettuccine available daily, as well as pappardelle. Our ravioli freezer is usually stocked with a variety of our ravioli flavors, such as 3-Cheese and New Orleans Voodoo. Check out our complete list of ravioli varieties under our Products menu. We also have radiatori and fusilli, as well as tomato sauce, vodka sauce and lemon artichoke pesto. Some of our sauces and ravioli, such as pesto, Butternut Squash, Tomato Basil, Pumpkin, and Pumpkin-Ginger-Cranberry Ravioli, are available only seasonally
Q: Do you have specials?
A: We have a weekly ravioli and fresh pasta special. You can find out what this week’s special is on our Facebook page or in our shops.
Q: How many ravioli are in a pound?
A: The amount of ravioli per pound differs based upon the density of the filling. As a general guideline, we say that 1 pound of ravioli can have anywhere from 32-36 ravioli.
Q: Do any local restaurants serve your pasta?
A: Yes! Our pasta is currently served at Otto’s Pub and Brewery, Spats Cafe and Speakeasy, Toftrees, The Corner Room, Rotelli, Mt. Nittany Inn, Gigi’s, Center Hills, Village Eatinghouse, Dante’s, The Nittany Lion Inn, Kelly’s and Harrison’s. We are in the process of getting our pasta in more local restaurants and grocery stores, so stay tuned!