From la sfoglina to Sfoglini

Imagine early morning light dawning on a small farmhouse in Rome many centuries ago. 

Already hard at work, the family matron oversees the building of fires, the collecting of water and eggs, and the baking of bread. As the sun crosses the sky, she makes sure essential goods are purchased, holiday meals are planned, animals are cared for, and clothes are progressively sewn and mended. 

This adzora—“she who presides over the government of the home”—is responsible for upholding cherished traditions and customs. Through her hard and humble work, they will pass from one generation to the next. And as she learned from those before her, she will teach her daughters and granddaughters to become la sfoglina—an expert at blending water and flour into pasta dough, then kneading it to silky elasticity before rolling, twisting, or turning it into a specific shape. 

You may not naturally draw a direct line from Italy’s pasta-making grannies to the American-made pasta, but thirteen years ago, our founder Scott Ketchum found great inspiration in their unwavering commitment to tradition, skill, and quality.

“We started Sfoglini to stay true to the techniques we've learned from our Italian friends, producing at a larger scale but creating the most authentic product possible,” remembers Ketchum.

While our products have grown and our brand has refreshed, we’ve remained faithful to the core principles of the collective sfoglini. We use imported organic Italian grains and locally grown whole grains to provide superior taste and nutritional value. Extruding dough through bronze dies produces a coarser pasta texture ideal for soaking sauce. Slow-drying preserves ingredient flavor and nutrients, guaranteeing optimum satiation in every bite. 

Historically, sfoglini hand-shaped the bells, pumpkins, or orecchie di prete (priest's ears) they desired for a particular recipe. But then pasta became commercialized, and standardization replaced variety. “In our original concept, teaching people about pasta shapes and making was important,” Ketchum remembers. “We felt we could do that from an American side—adopt this idea of the sfolgini, bring it into our product, and share this knowledge with our audiences.”

Our best-selling Trumpets, for instance, offer pockets perfect for transporting simple marinaras and fluffy ridges that cling to chunkier sauces. (Try our Eggplant Parmesan Sauce recipe.) Our Zucca’s tiny cups nestle everything from a hearty bolognese to vibrant peas and bacon. And the flavor packed Saffron Malloreddus cradle generous amount of our recipe for alla Campidanese. “I see light bulbs go off in eyes and minds,” Ketchum says of when the connection hits home. “You're using your ingredients and understanding all that pasta can do.”

For the Italian family, la sfoglina also passed down cherished recipes. So browse the  recipe collection for inspiration to feed your loved ones with the same skill and care that went into every sfoglina family meal—and box of Sfoglini pasta.

"With Sfoglini, it's not just a meal—it's an experience," Ketchum says. “That's what I hope people take away from a dinner served with Sfoglini pasta.”

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