The Great Bucatini Shortage of 2020

[Jenise]

This is a HILARIOUS read, and don't skip the comments.

https://www.grubstreet.com/2020/12/2020 ... ation.html

Fun. Love the style. The comments are somewhat less fun, alas.

As it happens, I bought a box of perciatelli just the other day. I'm aligning it with an upcoming cold sesame noodle lunch.

Just came back from the supermarket. Plenty of bucatini (or perciatelli) by Rummo, Barilla, Ronzoni. None from De Cecco.

I prefer penne!

Theoretically, WalMart has Granoro Bucatini here. Don't know the brand, but I'll look for it next time I'm near.

FWIW, WalMart's website lists a number of Bucatini brands in case lots.

[Robin Garr]

We had takeout cacio e pepe tonight with bucatini. I think this restaurant makes its own pasta, though, so there's that.

i don't have to search for bucatini for the time being. I was going to make spaghetti for Edie tonight, and when I looked in the pasta drawer I spotted a box of De Cecco bucatini that I didn't know I had. After I got some water boiling, I read the box, which suggested 11 minutes cooking time. I dropped in the bucatini and turned to set my timer--it was already set for 11 minutes!

>theremin music< What a pair of coinky-dinks.

[Jenise]

Spooky! Btw, I never cook pasta to box directions. If they say 11, I'd plan on 9.

Spooky! Btw, I never cook pasta to box directions. If they say 11, I'd plan on 9.

Opposite here. We're over a mile high. Water boils at 202F.

Spooky! Btw, I never cook pasta to box directions. If they say 11, I'd plan on 9.

Opposite here. We're over a mile high. Water boils at 202F.

You must have a lot of trouble with baking -- I think altitude plays havoc with the chemistry involved.

I recall once reading a package of brownie mix: in addition to the regular instructions, they gave high altitude baking instructions and microwave baking instructions and, for high altitude microwave instructions... they said to call them up.

I have never been fond of commercial bucatini......not possible to twirl and eat graciously. However, home made are glorious and malleable to the twine. My grandmother from Campania used a thin wire, about 12" long and hand rolled bits of kneaded dough along the wire and flicked them off onto a board to dry. The resulting tube is much narrower than the dried commercial bucatini/perciatelli pasta but despite the thinness of the wire a hole is maintained. That is bucatini.

Spooky! Btw, I never cook pasta to box directions. If they say 11, I'd plan on 9.

Opposite here. We're over a mile high. Water boils at 202F.

You must have a lot of trouble with baking -- I think altitude plays havoc with the chemistry involved.

I recall once reading a package of brownie mix: in addition to the regular instructions, they gave high altitude baking instructions and microwave baking instructions and, for high altitude microwave instructions... they said to call them up.

Over the years, I haven't had much problem baking. I bake at a higher temperature and I can lower the amount of yeast and leaveners (less atmospheric pressure). I'm at 5800 feet, but we have a restaurant here at over 10,000 feet. I can't imagine the problems at that height.

[Jenise]

I have never been fond of commercial bucatini......not possible to twirl and eat graciously. However, home made are glorious and malleable to the twine. My grandmother from Campania used a thin wire, about 12" long and hand rolled bits of kneaded dough along the wire and flicked them off onto a board to dry. The resulting tube is much narrower than the dried commercial bucatini/perciatelli pasta but despite the thinness of the wire a hole is maintained. That is bucatini.

Thanks for this. I wondered how in the world this would have been done by hand in the old days.

I discovered bucatini today at my local Smith's store (a subsidiary of Kroger). It's their Private Selection brand, made in Italy, and $1.49/lb pkg.

Jenise, FWIW, I discovered a gourmet pasta attachment for a kitchen aid mixer that has dies for bucatini and other shapes. No need to worry about bucatini shortages. Not cheap, though.

[Jenise]

That's interesting, Larry. I thought only an extruder type device could do those, and that a Kitchen Aid doesn't offer consistent enough pressure to do that.

That's interesting, Larry. I thought only an extruder type device could do those, and that a Kitchen Aid doesn't offer consistent enough pressure to do that.

It would depend on the gear ratios. You should enjoy the video here on Amazon; the finished product is in shallow bowls. https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KSMPEXTA-Gourmet-Attachment-Interchangeable/dp/B01ENK4UV2

[Robin Garr]

You should enjoy the video here on Amazon; the finished product is in shallow bowls. https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KSMPEXTA-Gourmet-Attachment-Interchangeable/dp/B01ENK4UV2

Dang! Now I want one!

My grandmother and mother made bucatini like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzCOlQ2PAB8 Although this video calls the pasta fusilli di Fellito they are exactly what my mother from the province of Salerno called perciatelli or bucatini. Their wire remains in the bamboo tube in my mother's kitchen and she would be horrified to see or use the extruder. I didn't remember allowing an overnight drying step to prevent the hollow from collapsing but it makes sense.

[Robin Garr]

That's fascinating, Georgina! Thanks for the YouTube link.

I can foresee a new avocation for you, Robin: rolling out tubes of bucatini. It'll keep you occupied.

[Robin Garr]

It'll keep you occupied.

Just what I need.

I wonder if my Popeil Pasta Maker has a bucatini die?

-Paul W.

FWIW, my Smith's (Kroger) has Italian bucatini regularly for $1.69/lb.

And, Robin, if you get the KA attachment, give us a review.