Mold for making pasta

These dies fit into the extrusion neck of the presses to which they are attached by a die holder. The screw pushes the mixture through the extrusion neck to the die which will shape the pasta format : long pasta, such as Tagliatelle or Spaghetti or short pasta, such as Fusili, Penne or Macaroni.

On some dies the pasta format is directly fashioned in the mass of the bronze plate, but in general this mounting plate is inlaid with inserts in which the different types of pasta are shaped.

These inserts can be Teflon-coated, which makes them more slippery and gives the pasta a more colourful appearance. However, these moulds require more care when using them, as Teflon makes them more fragile.

There are also inserts made entirely of bronze. These are popular because they give the pasta a rougher, more "artisanal" appearance and because this roughness helps the sauce to adhere better. This trend is also found among industrial manufacturers, who seek to enhance part of their range in this way (tradition, reference to the past and attenuation of the industrial character).