Spaghettoni No. 7 is Barilla's thicker take on classic spaghetti: long, round strands made from durum wheat semolina and water, packed in the brand's familiar blue 500 g box. The extra thickness gives a firmer, more substantial bite than regular spaghetti, and the pack suggests about 11 minutes of cooking for an al dente result.
In the kitchen it suits sauces that need a strand with some backbone: a slow-cooked tomato and basil sauce, aglio e olio, cacio e pepe or a meaty ragù. Cook it in plenty of salted boiling water, stir during the first minutes so the strands do not stick, then finish it in the pan with the sauce and a ladle of starchy cooking water. It also works well with Turkish-style toppings such as garlicky tomato and pepper sauce, or minced beef with roasted aubergine.
Keep the box closed in a cool, dry cupboard. The ingredient list is simply durum wheat semolina and water; the pasta contains gluten, and some labels mention possible traces of soya and mustard.