There are movies where food has a starring role. And then there are times when eating is just another extra in the background. But when detail-minded Woody Allen shot his newest film, To Rome With Love, no morsel was left to chance.

As with any Italian-based film, eating looms large (that's what people do there, right?) So when the characters played by Jesse Eisenberg and Ellen Page decide to cook up something together, they head to the supermarket to shop for the main star of their meal: pasta.

What do they grab? Eschewing the industrially produced boxes of Barilla or Buitoni, they grab a big bag of Pasta Garofalo. Good choice.

They chose one of Italy's most respected (and delicious) brands, which hails from the pasta-making town of Gragnano, south of Naples. The air-dried, traditionally made pasta is considered one of the best in Italy.

And there's also the whole Garofalo cinema connection, which doesn't hurt. “Pasta Garofalo represents the best quality when it comes to taste. And the company's passion and dedication to the world of cinema makes them the ideal partner,” says David Nichols, one of the film's co-producers.

As it turns out Garofalo doesn't limit its creativity to pasta alone. It has been behind five film shorts in recent years.

And how do Ellen and Jesse cook their pasta? Sorry. You'll have to see To Rome With Love to find out.

The film's release dates: Italy, April 20; U.S., June 22.

Elizabeth Minchilli blogs at elizabeth minchilli in rome. Follow her on Twitter @eminchilli.

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