“New taste for pasta with Venus’ health”

by Editorial Staff

Professional Pasta interviewed Umberto Rovati and Marcella Cattaneo, respectively head of marketing for rice and pasta dishes and head of R&D at Riso Scotti for Pasta Venere, an original innovation in the pasta market. Pasta Venere is segmented into the four most popular and widespread shapes - i.e. spaghetti, penne, fusilli and rigatoni - and produced with 25% black Venus rice flour and 75% wholemeal semolina that is 100% Italian. Pasta Venere is characterised by the combination of an exclusive and unique taste and a strong health&wellness connotation, since it is a wholemeal product and a source of fibre.

You have recently entered the pasta market by launching Pasta Venere and have positioned yourself in the whole wheat pasta segment. Why did you decide to target this market segment? First of all, we carried out a thorough analysis of the pasta market, which is a constantly growing and surprisingly dynamic market, so we thought it was essential to enter it with an innovative and unique proposal that was able to stand out on the shelf by brand and “colour.”

Consumers have helped us understand the sensory experience linked to pasta consumption, but also the fact that pasta is increasingly considered as a healthy food, both for the consumer and the environment. Therefore, taste and health have become the elements on which this brand had to be created. In fact, it is important to bear in mind that Pasta Venere was not created as a Riso Scotti product, but rather as a real brand, the main characteristic of which being the taste experience strongly based on health and wellness.

Pasta Venere is made of 25% Venus rice flour and 75% wholemeal semolina. What taste and aromas does this formulation bring to pasta ?

Pasta Venere is a new taste of whole-wheat pasta with the nutritional benefit of Venus rice. In Italy, there is no coloured pasta culture; however, Pasta Venere manages to stand out on the shelf by colour and brand. It is a 100% Italian pasta that can be combined with any type of sauce, an “everyday” pasta with important values: taste and wellness. Semolina and Venus rice flour are 100% Italian and the supply chain is fully certified. This formulation includes the use of 25% brown rice flour that does not weaken the technological properties of the finished product provided by semolina thanks to a careful and strictly balanced technological process. The aroma and taste bring to mind the typical Venus rice, however this product is not intended to be a niche pasta, but rather to bring new values to an everyday pasta. produces a less sticky dough compared to classic rice flour, coarser and more granular, and therefore able to produce, together with semolina, a finished product that is perfect with the sauce. From a nutritional point of view, pasta provides fibre and antioxidants - anthocyaninstypical of venus rice, as well as minerals such as phosphorus and magnesium. The interesting element is that, as mentioned before, this type of pasta can be combined with any sauce: from a classic “tomato and basil” to typical regional recipes. Therefore this kind of pasta adds value to the sauce, and not the other way round.

Shaping and pasta drying: how do these two processes take place?

The Pasta Venere project was conceived in mid-2021. The optimisation process was complex; we carried out several tests before finding the right formulation of wholemeal semolina and Venus rice that would guarantee a pasta with excellent technological characteristics and new sensory properties. To facilitate this, we applied a rougher drawing process. Three short shapes and one long shape were then optimised, trying to follow classic pasta trends to unite Italy from North to South and create a popular national pasta.

Talking about technical characteristics, what does pasta look like after cooking? Starchholding capacity, texture, clumping: what are the main characteristics that emerge upon tasting?

First of all, it should be pointed out that this is not a gluten-free pasta. Adding rice flour to semolina does not affect its technological properties. Therefore, we have applied an internal process for rice flour that

Did you cooperate with any chefs in the conception and making of this product?

The first step was, of course, to involve consumers and understand what they wanted.

We are currently in contact with some chefs and a restaurant in Pavia for B2B promotion of the product. The chefs are interested in understanding how to use this new product in the best possible way. As a result, a very fruitful exchange of ideas has taken place. Our aim is still to strengthen our presence in the catering industry, which is certainly very attentive to wellness and sustainability.

What will be the next step after Pasta Venere? Are you planning any other investments in the pasta sector?

We are currently engaged in a major promotion and communication activity. Moreover, Tuttofood 2023 international fair will promote the entry of our product into the foreign market. However, the future of Pasta Venere is still to be written.

Editorial Staff