Dalla Costa Alimentare

The Heart of Italian Pasta

History

1993 was the date on which Dalla Costa family's business project was inaugurated; a new industry in the dry pasta manufacturing sector founded on the experience, know how and passion accumulated over the three generations that have followed one after the other in this profession. Right from the outset, the aspect that distinguished the Company's marketing position was the pasta manufacturing. Dalla Costa brothers had worked on moving away from the traditional smooth pastas, to offer semolina flour pasta in special shapes, which became innovative and different thanks to the flavours and the use made of the semolinas and flours. Another distinctive feature is the desire to preserve the traditional style of production even now that the Company has grown considerably, absorbing new technologies and quality controls; providing the leverage that can only be guaranteed by advanced industrial processes.

Our Objectives

The distinctive nature of the product in the marketplace represents the basic asset in the development of every product. In this sense, the Dalla Costa brothers, supported by experts in the individual aspects of the business process, continually develop new products in terms of flavours, tastes, recipes, and the use of flours, to correspond with developments in people's dietary needs. The customer is the other strategic reference at the centre of the Company and its objectives. The focused and continual targeting of the supply is aimed at generating special products and providing the distribution system with sales supports and themes that can enhance the "shelves", making them more attractive to the consumer. In addition, the ability to customise products has resulted in the development of an entire Private Label division focusing on the domestic and especially the international market, where Dalla Costa is establishing its presence, by exporting all the "taste of pasta Made in Italy".

Green Energy

The increasing need to become aware of the impact that industrial manufacturing has on the environment, has encouraged the Dalla Costa brothers to address this specific issue, by implementing a process that optimises the production of energy resources. In 2010, a new state-of-the-art photovoltaic plant was installed, consisting of 780 polycrystalline solar panels, which were positioned on the roofs of the industrial plant in Castelminio di Resana, generating some 171.60 KWP of power. With the energy produced by this photovoltaic plant equalling about 200,000 Kw, the Dalla Costa pasta factory can safely say that today, in order to maintain its annual manufacturing cycle, its avoids consuming the equivalent of 45 tons of oil and emitting 104,000 Kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. A distinctive and characteristic indicator of a Company that is conscious of its growth, but that also pays close attention to the codes of sustainability and ethics that protect man and the environment.

Quality

The quality of the pasta Dalla Costa is given by the quality of raw materials and by the production knowledge of the Family Dalla Costa. Our pasta is made with highly selected durum wheat semolina and according to a very careful process from the first stage of the dough to the packaging. The result is a product of high quality, elastic and rich, with an aroma, color and flavor that make it unique. The toughness and the quality of the pasta Dalla Costa are the result of selected durum wheat flour, the clever production process used, the drawing only through bronze dies and a careful drying. The durum wheat used for pasta is obtained from the heart of the grain. Spices and dehydrated vegetables that give flavor, aroma and color to the pasta Dalla Costa, come from checked cultivation, without the use of radiation and OGM free. Here is how you will recognize on your plate the quality of pasta Dalla Costa: - Pasta has a bright golden yellow as the color of ripe wheat fields; - The cooking water of the pasta is clear, without any residue; - The color of the pasta, even after cooking, is golden; - The pasta is cooked evenly and it is elastic and tenacious, that is to say "al dente", during mastication; - Pasta retains the "smell", the pleasant and unmistakable taste of durum wheat; - The pasta absorbs better the sauce thanks to the rough surface due to the bronze drawing. Pasta always "al dente" with the "right thickness": Dalla Costa, a quality pasta!

Manufacturing

The quality of the final product is just one of the basic cornerstones for selling one of pasta Dalla Costa. In this pasta manufacturing plant, excellence is pursued right from the selection of the raw materials so as to win over end consumers, but especially to have show our high regard for them when they select our products. There are three raw materials at Dalla Costa that create quality products: the durum wheat semolina, the water and the flavourings. The semolina that originates exclusively from Italian mills is selected on the basis of its chemical-physical characteristics that must remain constant over time. The water used in the dough is sourced from the water table below the Company at a depth of 90 metres. It was documented in the twelfth century as being "miraculous" because of its purity, a characteristic that it still retains at elevated levels today. The selected vegetables and spices, such as tomatoes, spinach, origanum and basil are all stringently dehydrated from fresh products. During the manufacturing process, we only use bronze extruders, and leave the pasta to dry slowly at lower temperatures. This is how our products reach their quality level of excellence, which is reflected in their perfect consistency, the firmness they retain during cooking, the optimal level of roughness on the surface area that holds any kind of condiment, and the fact that they are easily digestible.

The Choice of Wheat

In the dry pasta manufacturing process, the first step is choosing the durum wheat, which is selected on the basis of its chemical and physical characteristics. The raw material is transported to the mill where it is sifted to remove any impurities, and then ground, transforming it into semolina flour. The semolina flour arrives at the pasta factory, where the dehydration phase begins. The water content remaining must range between 30 to 35% to obtain a quality product. The so-called kneading phase to make the dough is done under vacuum to obtain a dough that is more resistant, and does not contain any air bubbles. The dough should also be compact and transparent, but most importantly, must have a bright colour. During this stage, it is possible to add other ingredients that have been stringently dried, so as to flavour or colour the mixture: from tomatoes to spinach in powder form, right through to chillies, origanum, basil, rosemary or other ingredients.

Extruding and Drying

At this point, the mixture that resembles a golden yellow colloidal mass is then pushed through the same machine towards the extruders that have the original disc-shape with a series of holes, or so-called "inserts", out of which the various pasta shapes then emerge. The pasta shapes that are still soft and warm are then cut and sent through to the drying phase. They remain here for about 5/7 hours in the case of production with an uninterrupted flow, and from 16/18 hours in the context of static production, so that the total moisture levels can be brought down to the 12.5% maximum level set by Italian Law.

Packaging

The pasta shapes that were soft and tender coming into the dryer, leave dried and hard, ready for the final stage: the wrapping and packaging. The products are packed into transparent bags, which protect the pasta from possible external contamination, while presenting the consumer with an aesthetically pleasing package that enhances the colour and consistency. Labels or boxes then provide the information required by the consumer. During this final stage, each individual package is monitored by scales and special machinery that checks the product step-by-step to see that it is correctly packaged and stored in the warehouse, where it will then leave for its relevant domestic or international distribution.

Customized Pasta

Thanks to the production experience and the skillfulness to interpret the forms Dalla Costa can create unique pasta shapes ideal for enhancing a company's brand. This service goes beyond the product pasta and provides each customer with a tailor-made solution. The factory Dalla Costa offers its know-how in the production of special pasta to develop special products suitable to customize the offer. The production flexibility of Dalla Costa and the specialization degree achieved in the creation and development of new types of pasta as well as different packaging solutions have enabled us to become a point of reference in the production of special customized pasta. Dalla Costa is today a privileged producer of pasta for large food retailers, successfully interpreting the need for customization of its customers. It is also important to remember that since 2004 Pastificio Dalla Costa was chosen thanks to its high product quality, flexibility both in making pasta shapes as well as in offering special customized packaging, by The Walt Disney Co.TM as manufacturer of pasta Disney distributed not only in Italy, but all over the world.

Pasta With Special Shapes and Flavours

Dalla Costa offers a wide variety of special pasta shapes dedicated to the world of children and the parties, a wide range of pasta shapes enriched by the creativity of the forms. It is also possible to develop new forms of pasta in collaboration with the customer. The Company offers to its customers the competence of its Research and Development Department to develop innovative special pasta according to the Italian tradition of pasta makers. Thanks to the use of dehydrated vegetables, we can offer flavored and colorful pastas with original flavors suitable for the Italian and Foreign market. Organic semolina, ancient grains, spelt, barley, corn, rice, rye, quinoa are some of the raw materials that Pastificio Dalla Costa selects for the production of its special pasta, unique for composition, flavor and organoleptic characteristics.

Our Lines

Organic Pasta

Organic. The Pasta that respects man and environment. A line of organic pasta, traditional, bronze drawn, produced with ancient grains like ‘Senatore Cappelli’ and KAMUT®, cultivated according to the principles of organic farming to sutisfy those who are dedicated to the value of nature. Different sizes for adults and children, very natural tastes and the tricolor pasta with tomato and spinach also of biological origin. Dalla Costa with this new range gives special attention to the world of children by suggesting products of innovative forms and tastes.

Pasta of Durum Wheat Semolina

This line of pasta strictly connected with the Italian pasta tradition represents a pillar in Dalla Costa and the vocation to the enhancement of taste. Golden color, rough surface thanks to the bronze drawing, genuine perfume of the grain, simple taste but refined: these are the distinguishing features of a product Made in Italy that comes from Italian pasta tradition, in special shapes too, which are remembered for original flavors and forms before and after cooking. With Dalla Costa plain pasta you can prepare traditional dishes with unique and fragrant flavors that emanate the taste of Italian food culture.

Tricolor Pasta

Italian specialties colored and flavored. Italian pasta is enjoyed first with eyes, then with the palate and you disclose it when durum wheat of high-quality meets dehydrated vegetables and spices of Mediterranean flavors. The selection of Italian tricolor pasta is flavored with tomato, oregano and basil sun-ripened and other vegetables that characterize the final taste of the dish with originality and humor. This tricolor pasta is bronze drawn and produced by combining the duration of time with low temperature, in the drying step, which preserves all the organoleptic characteristics, while ensuring a perfect consistency and an excellent cooking resistance. The chromatic emotion in the plate of pasta tricolor is evoked by the colors that refer to Italy, a country where this flavored pasta tells one of the oldest culinary traditions.

Flavored Pasta

The Mediterranean flavors at the table. From Italy we caught the scent of the sea mixing it with that of the earth to get a range with fragrant and unique tastes as well as special shapes. The innovative process retains all the natural flavors of the pasta, bronze drawn, which releases its rich taste from the very first glimpse. We chose the spices that characterize some of our territories and selected vegetables of high quality, obtaining pasta with an Italian heart. Pasta with red pepper, lemon combined with black pepper, porcini mushrooms, asparagus, squid ink and salmon, are the meeting of durum wheat with exclusive ingredients, selected by Dalla Costa to meet the tastes of modern Italian and international consumers.

Pasta with Special Shapes

A gift of unique Italian flavors. Hearts, bells, stars, animals and other symbolic figures are the shapes of the pasta for festivities, bronze drawn. Original products for special gifts or to liven up an event and an anniversary experienced by adults and children. A range of pasta where creativity Made in Italy makes even more unique the table of special occasions. Every moment of the year is timetabled with products that for pasta shapes and flavors evoke the special moment, cheering the table with a touch of Italian emotion.

Pasta with Giant Shapes

The good Giants. When a special durum wheat flour turns into a large shape pasta the result becomes a big Italian dish. Unique Pasta of giant dimension that is able to emanate the true Italian flavors. Special is the emotional impact that you see in the dish upon cooking, since the large shape keeps a good consistency and better absorb the sauce thanks to the roughness of the surface. Made according to the rules of the traditional Italian pasta, it is strictly bronze drawn and dried at low temperature.

Pasta With Whole Spelt

Pasta with ancient grains. Spelt is an ancient grain, whose origins can be traced back to over 5.000 years ago in the Middle East. This range with whole wheat spelt has an intense and strong flavor: 100g contain at least 6g of fibre and is therefore a food high in fibre.

Wellness in the Meal

Gluten free or less carbohydrates. Mental and physical fitness are the main ingredients for a quality life accompanied by a range of Italian pasta, bronze drawn, of unique composition, flavor and organoleptic characteristics. Special shapes gluten free dedicated to celiac and all those seeking a gluten-free pasta for a more balanced diet. Low Carb pasta with less carbohydrates and rich in fibers; for those seeking for an Italian product, while maintaining the simple taste of tradition; a multi grain pasta, barley-rye-wheat, for conscious consumers looking for authentic flavors.

Pasta for Children

Taylor-made for small pasta consumers (from 3 years of age). Happiness is the most important ingredient used to produce pasta mainly for children, imaginative and in special sizes, Made in Italy, that attracts the attention of the smallest turning every meal in a fun, exciting and tasty. Bronze drawn and produced by combining the length of time at low temperatures, during the drying process, this pasta preserves all the organoleptic characteristics; a food rich of flavors of grain and vegetables. Strictly Italian pasta that offer to families, innovative products, original shapes and flavors to teach children to grow up learning the principles of proper nutrition.

Disney Pasta

The magic of Disney for the whole family. Through the magic of Disney, families might discover special pasta shapes and unique flavors that are appreciated both by adults and children. Italian products made according to the tradition with bronze dies and selected durum wheat mixed with dehydrated vegetables of the highest quality. A gift for the little ones that the whole family appreciates.

Disney Organic Pasta

Organic Disney pasta.Taylor-made for small pasta consumers (from 3 years of age). The organic version of Disney pasta is a selection of Italian pasta for the whole family that turns the best materials from organic farming into the highest quality products. Traditional biological pasta with mini and special shapes bronze drawn, selected durum wheat and enriched with dehydrated vegetables also biological.

Loggia of Grani

A gift of the Italian flavor. The exclusivity in Dalla Costa is contained in this range of products unique in quality of raw materials and original packaging. Expression of an accurate Made in Italy, this line of pasta is bronze drawn and produced by combining the length of time at low temperature which preserves all the organoleptic characteristics, while ensuring a perfect texture and excellent cooking resistance.

Pasta Book

Pasta Book. When pasta meets an original packaging, the result is a product suitable to tell the story and the value of the flavors of land and sea which cross the Italian territory from North to South. Unique products of the highest level tha become ambassadorsof a food culture that tells the beauty of Italy in the world. Gift items which give the pleasure of a memory that becomes experience at the table.

Recipes Dalla Costa

Dalla Costa Alimentare - Awards

Products Dalla Costa Alimentare