There is pasta, and then there is pasta. Understanding this difference is more obvious in some circumstances than others. An obvious example: Chef Boyardee vs. homemade ravioli. Less obvious: the difference between bronze-cut and industrial boxed pasta.

Of course, any Italian nonna worth her parmesan could tell you the difference immediately, but for the everyday consumer, the differences may not be as clear.  The pasta most of us are used to — the stuff that comes to us in boxes or bags — is what the Italians call pasta secca, dried pasta. This is in contrast to pasta fresca, which is fresh pasta.