America has a long tradition of serving pasta meals and snack foods which are made from pasta, and so it is natural to want a kosher-assured selection of types of pasta which you can use in your Jewish home. There are a variety of different types of pasta which might be suitable for use during most of the year, but during Passover, even these become restricted. in order to better understand the sorts of pasta you can use, and how they might be affected by specific restrictions at different times of year.

Finding pasta for the majority of the year

As with all products made with wheat, barley, spelt, rye and oats (known together as Chometz), pasta made for Jewish consumption must conform to the requirements of the traditional Kosher laws. This means that the pasta cannot be prepared using animal products such as lard, or by mixing together milk and other dairy items. Most importantly of all, the items must not be made by a non-Jewish person, and must instead be supervised by a rabbi, or at least made in a bakery which is supervised and approved by the local Rabbi. Foods using these ingredients which are not made to these requirements are not kosher pasta, and should not be eaten.

When kosher isn't kosher any more

Even if you have been using kosher-made pasta for some time, you should be aware that there is a further restriction on its consumption, and that is during the period of the Passover. The rules which prevent the consumption of these Chometz grains, except in exceptional circumstances which the pasta does not fulfil, mean that you cannot eat any form of pasta, no matter who makes it. This is because pasta is often made with a water-flour base, which is strictly prohibited during Passover as the grain is then classed as leavened. You will not be able to eat any type of pasta during Passover if it is made using these grains.

Alternatives to Chometz pasta