Why we make slow dried pasta – and why that’s a good thing.

If you’ve noticed our pasta takes longer to cook than usual, you’re not imagining things. But this isn’t a mistake, it’s a mark of quality.

Organic Rivet Rigatoni being laid on drying looms before starting their 38 hour static drying cycle.

In fact, the longer cooking time is a direct result of how we make our pasta. We’ve recently extended our entire production process to well over 40 hours, refining every stage to bring out the best in our grains.

It starts with a gentler pre-drying phase, held at just 40°C, to slowly remove surface moisture without damaging the structure or nutrients. We then allow a minimum 4-hour stabilisation period, giving the pasta time to rest and rebalance, before it enters a static drying cycle that now lasts up to 38 hours, never exceeding 46°C. After drying, we also allow a final stabilisation time of at least 3 hours before packing, to avoid thermal shock and ensure consistency.

Organic Spelt Tagliatelle resting after drying.

This is what truly sets artisan pasta apart from industrial pasta: temperature and time. Industrial producers dry pasta quickly at high temperatures (often above 80°C) to maximise output and shelf life. But this comes at a cost. High-heat drying can degrade sensitive nutrients, alter the grain’s natural structure, often resulting in a product that cooks well but may lack depth, digestibility, and nutritional integrity. Our slower, lower-temperature approach protects nutrients like B vitamins, polyphenols, enzymes, and essential fatty acids, and even the structure of starches, which contribute to a more stable glycaemic response. These nutrients begin to break down above 46°C–50°C, which is why we are so careful never to exceed this point. Once degraded, these micronutrients are effectively wasted. And in our view, degeneration of nutrients is a form of food waste. We believe that preserving the full value of the grain means respecting everything the soil, the seed, and the farmer has put in.

This ties in beautifully with our use of stoneground wholegrain flour. These flours contain the full bran, germ, and endosperm, rich in fibre, oils, vitamins, and flavour, but also more sensitive to heat. So, the drying process must be just as thoughtful as the milling and sourcing.

Organic Rivet rigatoni ready for slow drying.

Different grains require different care. Einkorn, for example, is far more delicate than spelt or emmer. And it’s not just the grain, the shape matters too. Long pasta like spaghetti needs a different airflow and moisture balance than shorter shapes like rigatoni or gigli, which trap and release moisture in their own way. Each shape and flour combination demands its own recipe, its own rhythm.

And just when we think we’ve got it right, the seasons change. When winter comes, we feel it in the air and the flour. We re-test, re-adjust, re-learn.

This is the craft. This is why we do it.

The result? More depth. More bite. More flavour. And a pasta that holds together beautifully, even when par-cooked and chilled for later. With longer drying at lower temperatures, the starches and fibres stay intact, the surface stays porous (ideal for sauce), and the integrity of the grain is preserved.

This kind of pasta is not about speed. It’s about making true slow dried pasta that respects the grain, the process, and the people who will eat it. It’s about care. And when you cook it, you’ll feel the difference.

Some shapes now take 10 minutes, others a little more. But the truth is: the longer it takes, the better it gets. That extra time is what turns a plate of pasta into something memorable.

Organic Emmer Casarecce ready for packing.

So next time you reach for the timer, don’t rush.

Taste.

Test.

Let it come to life slowly.

That’s how it was meant to be.

Slow food. British grains. Real pasta.