This September, Della Terra turns 10.
10 years of passion. 10 years of hard work. 10 years of meeting foodies all across the country and being a part of this amazing community.
My small, locally owned company owes its success to many, and there are three main groups I’d like to thank.
To the community of people who enjoy and support our small-batch, hand-made pasta: thank you. We strive to make the pasta you prepare for your friends and family the absolute best. The memories you make around your dinner table are truly priceless, and we are thankful to play a role in that.
To the chefs and restaurants we work with: thank you for trusting us to help you achieve your goals and provide your guests with delicious and memorable meals. We continue to wish you nothing but success and are thankful to partner with you.
To all those who have been behind the scenes helping in uniquely kind and exceptional ways: as I think of each of you, please know that I truly appreciate you and thank you.
Cin Cin to another 10+ years of making pasta magic!
Chef Chris Becker founded Della Terra Pasta in 2011 to take his passion for fine food and delicious pasta and make this readily available to enjoy at home. As a result, his artisanal handmade pasta is available at local farmers markets, boutique shops and food markets. Della Terra is also served in fine restaurants around the country.
Della Terra was inspired by the Great Plains of the American Midwest, meaning “of the earth”. Our artisanal pasta is made with durum wheat as well as other select specialty wheat varieties in order to craft American-made different kinds of pasta. It is here, in the Great Plains, that some of America’s best wheat is grown. This type of wheat forms the foundation for exceptional pasta. Della Terra is committed to sourcing high quality ingredients for our pasta.
About Our Process
Artisan pasta is in the details and we take the details seriously!
We gently knead the wheat with cold water in small batches to form a fragrant dough. During the kneading we are able make micro adjustments to customize the dough. This allows us to achieve an ideal combination of mixing time, hydration and temperature. Each shape we craft requires a slightly different combination of these variables (we like to call it nuance).
All of our fresh and dried pasta is drawn through bronze dies. Bronze drawn pasta has a visibly rough appearance, which is an indication of this technique. The subtle roughness of the pasta allows the porous and coarse surface to grip and meld with the sauce.
We slowly dry our pasta at low temperatures, which helps to preserve the natural flavor and aroma of the wheat. Pasta that has been slow dried also tends to have has a pale, lightly golden color. This is due to the temperature ranges we use to dry our pasta, which is similar to a hot and breezy summer day. It may take as long as 36 hours to dry some of our pasta, depending on the wheat, shape and time of year.
The combination of these defining characteristics helps us to create pasta that has a wonderful al dente bite, enjoyable texture and a fragrant aroma.
Throughout the year, there are natural variations that occur between one batch of pasta and another. This is due to changes in temperature, humidity and even the wheat from one season to the next. All the pasta we prepare is hands on all the way from sourcing high quality ingredients, to fastidiously crafting the pasta and hand packaging every package.
Della Terra strives to create the highest quality pasta available, while respecting tradition and the constant pursuit of perfection. We truly enjoy the craft of making pasta.
ABOUT OUR FOUNDER
Before founding Della Terra, Chris Becker worked in New York City for some of the most highly acclaimed chefs in the country. During his time there he worked at Lupa Osteria Romana; Eric Ripert at the highly acclaimed Le Bernardin; Gabriel Kreuther at The Modern; and Lidia Bastianich at Del Posto. In Lidia’s restaurants, Chris developed an appreciation and understanding of the Italian approach to food and cuisine. It was under Chef Mark Ladner’s guidance in those kitchens that Chris developed a passion for fine food and pasta. Chris started his career in NYC as a prep cook and progressed through the ranks of those kitchens eventually taking on the role as a sous chef and chef of pasta at Del Posto in 2005. During his time there, he focused on all things pasta.
About Our Founder
Before founding Della Terra, Chris Becker worked in New York City for some of the most highly acclaimed chefs in the country. During his time there he worked at Lupa Osteria Romana; Eric Ripert at the highly acclaimed Le Bernardin; Gabriel Kreuther at The Modern; and Lidia Bastianich at Del Posto. In Lidia’s restaurants, Chris developed an appreciation and understanding of the Italian approach to food and cuisine. It was under Chef Mark Ladner’s guidance in those kitchens that Chris developed a passion for fine food and pasta. Chris started his career in NYC as a prep cook and progressed through the ranks of those kitchens eventually taking on the role as a sous chef and chef of pasta at Del Posto in 2005. During his time there, he focused on all things pasta.