The Journal

Essays from the table.

Long-form stories about pasta, Italy, technique, and the people who kept the recipes alive. Written to be read slowly, with a glass of something nearby.

Hands rolling fresh pasta dough on a floured wooden board

History 9 min read

A Very Short, Very Opinionated History of Pasta

From Etruscan tombs to TikTok carbonaras — how a paste of flour and water hijacked the world.

Chef Rigatoni · May 20, 2026

A pot of boiling pasta water with steam rising

Technique 8 min

The Science of Al Dente (and Why Your Pasta Is Probably Overcooked)

Starch gelatinization, gluten windows, and the 60-second margin that separates dinner from porridge.

Chef Rigatoni · May 18, 2026

Map of Italy with rustic kitchen ingredients on a wooden table

Regions 11 min

Twenty Regions, One Country: A Pasta Map of Italy

Why orecchiette is from Puglia, why Bolognese is not what you think, and what every region puts on the table.

Chef Rigatoni · May 15, 2026

A bowl of carbonara with black pepper and pecorino

Technique 8 min

Carbonara: The Original Recipe (and Why Cream Is Heresy)

Four ingredients, two pans, one of the most argued-about dishes on earth. Here is how to make it properly.

Chef Rigatoni · May 12, 2026

An Italian pantry with olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and pasta

Pantry 7 min

The Italian Pantry: Twelve Things You Should Always Have

A no-nonsense guide to the ingredients that turn a weeknight into a proper Italian dinner.

Chef Rigatoni · May 9, 2026