Costa Elbow Heavy Wall Pasta, 10 Pounds, 2 Per Case

Uses

Mac and cheese: The heavy wall elbow stands up to baked cheese sauces without collapsing, making it the go-to cut for classic American mac and cheese in cafeterias and restaurants.
Pasta salad: Holds its shape cold, so elbows remain distinct and firm in mayonnaise- or vinaigrette-based pasta salads for catering and deli cases.
Soup and minestrone: The thick wall prevents disintegration in long-simmered broths and hearty vegetable soups.
Casserole bakes: Survives oven time and reheating without turning to paste, ideal for covered-dish service and buffet pans.
Buffet and steam table service: Maintains texture under heat lamps and in warming trays longer than standard-wall elbows.

Who Would Benefit

• Restaurants and diners running mac and cheese as a menu staple
• School and hospital cafeterias needing pasta that endures holding and reheating
• Caterers preparing large-batch pasta salads or baked pasta dishes
• Buffet and buffet-style operations with extended service windows
• Foodservice distributors stocking durable, high-yield dry pasta

Product Highlights

• Heavy wall cut for superior texture retention under sauces, baking, and holding
• Two 10-pound bags per case, 20 pounds total, for efficient batch cooking
• Made from 100% Montana-grown semolina, milled and extruded by Pasta Montana
• Slow-dried for consistent density and a firm al dente bite
• Classic elbow shape works across mac and cheese, soups, salads, and casseroles

Preparation & Use

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add elbow pasta and stir to separate. Cook 8 to 10 minutes for al dente; extend to 10 to 12 minutes for baked applications where the pasta will finish in the oven. Drain and rinse lightly if holding for pasta salad; skip the rinse if saucing immediately. For steam table service, undercook by one minute and hold in sauce to prevent over-softening during the service window. Each 10-pound bag yields approximately 80 half-cup cooked servings, making the full case suitable for events serving 150 to 160 portions.

Common Applications

Baked mac and cheese remains the single most frequent use for heavy wall elbows in foodservice, but the cut also anchors taco pasta skillets, goulash, and Italian American pasta e fagioli. Deli operators value the heavy wall for cold pasta salads that sit in display cases for hours without breaking down. School nutrition programs favor the shape and durability because it meets portion guidelines, reheats well from batch cook chill, and students accept it readily.