BARILLA INTRODUCES "THE CELEBRITY PASTA LOVERS' COOKBOOK" AND CALLS ON PASTA LOVERS EVERYWHERE TO HELP FIGHT HUNGER

Celebrities and Star Chefs Team Up with Barilla to Raise Money for America's Second Harvest

Bannockburn, IL, January 30, 2007 / PRNewswire / Barilla, the world's number one pasta maker, in partnership with ten Hollywood celebrities and renowned chefs Mario Batali and Giada De Laurentiis, are introducing a new, free cookbook that shares favorite celebrity pasta dishes to benefit America's Second Harvest – The Nation's Food Bank Network, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization.

From February 1-28, 2007, "The Celebrity Pasta Lovers' Cookbook" will be available online at no charge at www.CelebrityPastaLovers.com. For every person who downloads the cookbook, Barilla will donate $1 to America's Second Harvest, up to $100,000.

"Pasta is a favorite food among Americans, and celebrities are no exception," said Giada De Laurentiis, best-selling cookbook author and host of Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash on The Food Network. "Italian food represents a celebration of life, family, friends and tradition – aspects that are prominent themes in Barilla's new Celebrity Pasta Lovers' Cookbook."

Ten notable celebrities from film, television and fashion shared their favorite pasta dishes for the cookbook, which served as the inspiration for the cookbook's delicious new recipes created by guest editors Batali and De Laurentiis. Contributing celebrities include Kristin Davis, Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan, Melinda Clarke, Faith Ford, Sela Ward, Tyson Beckford, Ashley Judd, Tony Danza, and Annabella Sciorra. A $90,000 donation was made by Barilla in the celebrities' names for participation in the project.

All recipes are accompanied by personal stories and anecdotes from the celebrities, along with pasta preparation tips from Barilla, Batali, and De Laurentiis. Some of the mouthwatering recipes include Pumpkin Sage Butter Tortellini, inspired by Ashley Judd; Linguine with Eggplant and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, inspired by Sela Ward; and Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce, inspired by Harrison Ford.

Barilla has been a supporter of America's Second Harvest since 1997, through the donation of their products. Over the past nine years, since Barilla entered the U.S. market, they have donated over 5 million pounds of pasta to America's Second Harvest for distribution among more than 200 member food banks serving all 50 states, the District of Colombia and Puerto Rico.

"Hunger relief in America is a challenge that requires constant attention and support, and who better to help address the issue than food producers and chefs?" said Mario Batali, a long-time supporter of America's Second Harvest and the Food Bank For New York City. "Barilla's Celebrity Pasta Lovers' Cookbook is a simple way to raise awareness and involve the public in supporting a very effective national cause that will help provide food assistance for people who need it while also providing delicious Italian recipes that everyone can enjoy."