De Cecco Cavatappi, No. 87 1 lb

De Cecco Cavatappi No. 87 is a familiar sight on supermarket shelves: a 1-pound, blue-and-yellow boxed package with a clear window, tucked into the dry pasta aisle alongside other shaped pastas, boxed gnocchi and jars of tomato sauce. Shoppers will spot it near olive oil, canned tomatoes and grated cheese, often in the weekly-essentials section for pantry staples. It fits everyday cooking occasions — weeknight dinners, batch-cooking on meal-prep Sunday, and storm- or pantry-prep shopping trips when families stock up on long-shelf-life basics. The brand leans on Italian heritage and artisanal cues: messaging emphasizes traditional milling, quality durum wheat semolina and a slightly premium positioning that appeals to home cooks seeking authenticity without specialty-store prices. Packaging and labeling deliver subtle health halos — “durum wheat semolina” and “enriched with vitamins and iron” — but there’s no child-focused branding, no organic seal, and few overt “natural” claims on the ingredients list. In plain terms, this product is made from milled wheat that’s formed, dried and enriched — a processed staple rather than a fresh food. Sensory details: the corkscrew cavatappi holds and cradles sauces, offering a firm, slightly chewy al dente bite when cooked properly; its ridged spiral texture catches bits of meat and vegetable finely. Rituals around it are classic and communal: large pots of boiling salted water, stirring, draining and tossing with sauce, cheese and a sprinkle of herbs — meals that feel comforting, efficient and reliably Italian-American in grocery culture.