Teflon die

A Teflon die (Italian trafila in teflon) is a pasta die whose shaped openings are lined with inserts of PTFE, the non-stick plastic best known under the trade name Teflon. Through it the press pushes dough of semolina from durum wheat and water, and the dough takes its shape.

How it works. PTFE has very low friction, so the dough slides through the openings instead of being held back at the walls. The pasta comes out with a smooth, even, glossy surface and a brighter yellow colour, and the press can run faster with less wear on the die.

Where it is used. Teflon dies became standard in the industrial production of dry durum wheat pasta because they make the process simpler and more uniform. Most everyday supermarket pasta is made this way, while packs labelled “trafilata al bronzo” come from bronze dies. The specification of the protected name Pasta di Gragnano mentions the spread of Teflon dies and states that they do not fit the old Gragnano method, which allows bronze only.

What it means in the kitchen. Smooth pasta holds a little less sauce on its surface than rough bronze-drawn pasta, so it suits sauces based on butter or olive oil, creamy sauces, broths and baked dishes. Composition, protein and cooking time are set by the recipe and the format, not by the die: pasta of 100% durum wheat semolina stays the same product whichever die is used.

How to recognise it. The pasta is shiny, slightly translucent and smooth to the touch; packs usually do not name the die material at all.