Customer Reviews

Spaghetti by Martelli, Toscana

5 star:		(5)
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I cook a lot of pasta, but don't have the time or patience to make my own. This is the finest dried pasta I have ever cooked. My guests always agree. It has a chewiness and ability to hold sauce that is outstanding. Rarely sticks (only if you totally ignore it in the pot.) Worth the effort--far above the best usual store brands.

I had no clue until a previous reviewer called this stuff the "world's greatest pasta". Curious, I tried 3 bags ... the reviewer was spot on to my culinary delight. Martelli pasta is made outside of Pisa. I don't know what they are doing differently at Martelli, but the al dente snap and texture is special.

Cooks spend most of our spaghetti making time on our sauce. I paid little attention to the pasta ... dried, store bought fresh and even home made ... i.e. pasta, it seemed, is pasta, Costco is as good as anyplace for the basic stuff.

So I spend say $10-15 on a good homemade sauce... then I pour it over $1 of pasta. No more. As pasta has become less dietary friendly, one must, none the less, periodically get back to the stuff. If you must have pasta to maintain your life force, but have cut it back because of the carbs, don't eat anymore with $1 pasta ... splurge for a more complete experience. It may look expensive, and it is by comparison and your mate may suggest that you're out of your mind to pay $8 versus the $1. I'm convinced (as is my suprised wife) that this may be as good as a pasta gets and surely enriches the reduced pasta eating events.

I know this pasta brand for many years, back in Germany I used to pay around 6 DM for 1 kg. That would be 3$ for 2.2 pounds for Americans.
And I thought that was pretty expensive! But I bought it regularly and really loved it.

Then 5 years ago I came to the USA, and among so many other things I missed the foods from home. How happy was I to find out Martelli was sold over here, too!

Of course, it was very expensive, even more expensive than in Germany. 5,50$ for a bag (and at the time I did not understand USA-measurements, was not aware they sell only half the size over here!). So I thought the 2.2 pound bag would be expensive with 5,50 $, and for 3 years I could not afford to mail order it. You have to pay 15 $ postage for any order, so I figured any order below 150 $ would not be reasonable with that postage fee.

Last year, after the winter holiday, I got some money and finally did it: I ordered my beloved Martelli pasta. And it is really wonderful.
Only I saw that I got half the amount I was thinking to get. The bags contain 500g, which is exactly half of what I used to buy in Germany. And I paid 5,50 $ each plus postage now! Almost twice the price for half the weight - uhm - does that make it quadroopled?

Now my birthday came in July, I got money again, and I am looking into another order. But - oh shock! The price of 5,50$ has turned into 8$ now. And the bags did not turn into the original sizes (1ooog or 1kg).

Wow - is that a sign the dollar loses its value completely now?

Would it not be cheaper to order the pasta in Italy or France or Germany and have it shipped overseas to me? I guess I would get a better deal.

I checked it, the bags in Europe still contain 1kg, and I saw them offered online for 6 Euros. I guess I will have to make some serious calculations.

But the order from amazon is unthinkable now.

Rustichella d'abruzzo is second best. Also expensive, but I guess I can afford that with forsaking other things.

P.S. (edited on Nov.7) Now check out this new brand! Montebello Organic Fusili, Italian Macaroni, 16-Ounce Bags (Pack of 6)

I am saved, hooray!
With the new subscription price I can finally afford great pasta again!
Read also my review of the Montebello Fusili (click on above link) to find out more!

My cousin told me about this pasta. It is AMAZING! I didn't think there was much difference in taste between pastas....I was so wrong. You won't buy anything else once you've tried this.

I've purchased Martelli for the past three or four years and am always pleased with the texture & flavor, compared to many other brands I've tried.