by The Communal Seeds
Claudia Bouvier was always surrounded by incredible artisanal foods—and her large Italian family. While working in NYC, she met Ted Steen, owner/brewer at one of the first brewpubs in Connecticut. They found they shared a love of food grown and made with integrity and a connection to the soil. Pasta-making became a celebrated and regular event. When their family started to grow, the couple and two young daughters relocated to Boulder, Colorado: a city with a deep appreciation for healthy and local food and an engaged population of environmental activists.
When they committed to launching Pastificio Boulder in 2018, they had done enough research about how ingredients grown and processed in a more natural, unadulterated state could potentially counteract both environmental issues and growing health concerns, like gluten sensitivity. Thus, the commitment to using organic heirloom and ancient varieties of wheat, highlighting its benefits, from their digestibility and nutritional superiority to their wide range of earthy, sweet and nutty flavors.
Boulder is historically known for how many natural brands have started at one store and become a national or a global brand. I think the number one thing Coloradoans have in common is they all love Colorado. They’re huge supporters of small businesses, of farmers.
-Darcy Landis, Principal Forager
Rocky Mountain Region, Whole Foods Market
Inside The Factory
The Grains
Pastificio Boulder collaborates with local and regional farms throughout Colorado to grow a variety of heirloom and ancient grains to create their unique flour blend. Amongst their partners are Aspen Moon Farm and Jones Family Organics, farms growing wheat organically alongside other crops. Their shared goal is not only to place incredible ingredients into the food system but also to regenerate the soil in which the food is grown.
The Facility
Ted and Claudia have a small pasta factory located in the heart of Boulder, CO, conveniently down the street from their local Whole Foods Market. The grains are milled, blended, and crafted into pasta on-site using Italian made pasta extruders and very artisanal techniques.
The Final Product
Pastificio Boulder currently crafts seven varieties of pasta for sale in stores and at their small pasta shop and keeps to its Farmers Market roots by producing a special variety of freshly made pasta for pick up by individuals.
Claudia and Ted’s Favorite Pasta Recipes
TUSCAN “PASTALLITA”
Ingredients
8oz Pastificio Boulder Conchiglie or Gnocchetti Sardi pasta (or another high-quality pasta), pre-cooked al dente
2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus some extra for drizzling)
1 large onion (diced)
3-4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 carrots (diced)
2 celery stalks (diced)
1 can (28oz) of tomatoes (diced, Bianco DiNapoli organic)
1 bunch Tuscan kale destemmed, leaves coarsely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock (or water)
4 bay leaves
1 can cannellini beans, drained
Fresh herbs (Italian parsley, oregano, thyme) – a good bunch, coarsely chopped
Salt and Pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
How To
In a saucepan, sauté onion in olive oil till it becomes golden brown. Add garlic, sauté for a minute or two. Add celery and carrots and sauté for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add vegetable stock or water, bay leaves and simmer for about 30- 45’, with the lid partially covering the saucepan. Stir every so often.
Add kale and drained beans to the soup, keep cooking at medium temperature until kale leaves wilt.
Cook pasta separately in heavily salted water. Once pasta is al dente (a bit less cooked as you would like), transfer it with a spider to the saucepan with the hot soup. Add salt and pepper to taste, add fresh herbs and drizzle with EVOO.
Serve it hot with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano!
HEIRLOOM WHEAT GARGANELLI WITH BROWN BUTTER AND ROASTED SQUASHES
Ingredients
16oz Pastificio heirloom wheat garganelli (or another high-quality pasta)
2lbs of butternut and delicata squashes
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 cloves of garlic (diced)
4oz of brown butter
a good bunch of fresh sage
Nutmeg
Salt
Black pepper
How To
Turn oven on (375F)
Peel butternut squash and cut in 1” cubes, wash delicata squash, slice in ½” thick rings
Toss them with ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper
Line baking sheet with parchment paper, spread squashes on it
Bake for about 30-45’ or till when golden brown
Bring 4 quarts of water and plenty of salt to a boil
Dice garlic, sauté it with the rest of the olive oil till golden (set aside)
At low medium heat, sauté butter till solids become golden brown. Mix with olive oil, garlic and thinly sliced fresh sage.
Cook pasta as per pasta box instructions
Once pasta is al dente (a bit less cooked as you would like), transfer it with a spider to the saucepan with butter, olive oil and garlic and add a ¼ cup of pasta water. Toss it vigorously (just moving the saucepan, don’t use any utensils). Add roasted squashes. Sprinkle a bit more of fresh sage and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (and red pepper flakes if desired). Serve it warm or at room temperature.
HEIRLOOM WHEAT RIGATONI WITH SIMPLE POMODORO AND FRESH HERBS SAUCE
Ingredients
16oz Pastificio heirloom wheat rigatoni (or another high-quality pasta)
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 medium onion (small dice)
1 can (28oz) Bianco DiNapoli organic crushed tomatoes
Fresh oregano and Italian flat leaf parsley
Salt
Black pepper
How To
Sautee onion in olive oil till they become golden brown. Add garlic, sauté for a minute or two. Add tomatoes and one cup of water. Simmer sauce for about 30- 45’, stirring every so often.
Add salt and pepper to taste, add fresh herbs and drizzle with EVOO.
Cook pasta as per pasta box instructions.
Once pasta is al dente (a bit less cooked as you would like), transfer it with a spider to the saucepan with the hot sauce and add a ¼ cup of pasta water. Finish cooking pasta in the sauce for a minute. Serve it hot with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano!
HEIRLOOM WHEAT CASARECCE WITH SAUTEED RAPINI, AGLIO, OLIO E PEPPERONCINI
Ingredients
16oz Pastificio heirloom wheat Casarecce (or another high-quality pasta)
2 bunches of broccoli rabe (rapini) cut into 2″ pieces
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
a full head of garlic (thinly sliced)
1/4 of a small onion (diced)
Salt
Black pepper and Calabrian Red Pepper flakes (or just red pepper flakes)
Pane Grattugiato Fritto – I always have it in our pantry! It is basically the Italian version of seasoned breadcrumbs, and it adds an amazing texture to pasta dishes. Oven toast good bread (sourdough, crusty), coarsely crumb it in a food processor (leave it with uneven, about lentil sized crumbs). Sautee a bit of garlic (oooohhh the garlic again) in olive oil and add the breadcrumbs. Let it coat the crumbs, add sea salt and black pepper to taste. I often sprinkle a bit of thinly chopped Italian Parsley. You can add your favorite dry herbs.
It keeps well in the pantry for a few weeks.
How To
Wash the rapini, cut into 2″ pieces. Blanch it. (Boil in salted water for 2′ and quickly cool it in ice water). Drain.
The blanching process helps keep it bright green and remove some of the bitterness from greens.
Bring 4 quarts of water and plenty of salt to a boil
Sautee onions and garlic with the olive oil till light golden
Add rapini and toss to get it coated with the aglio e olio.
Cook pasta as per pasta box instructions
Once pasta is al dente (a bit less cooked as you would like), transfer it with a spider to the saucepan with garlic, onions and rapini and add a ¼ cup of pasta water. Toss it vigorously for a minute or so. Sprinkle pepperoncini (red pepper flakes, to taste).
Plate, sprinkle with pane grattugiato fritto and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Enjoy!
