The good that is healthy
From the 16th century, when the first family-run pasta factories appeared in Gragnano, the tradition of pasta making has become a symbol of the territory, a place naturally suited for the production of durum wheat pasta. This area, squeezed between the mountains and the sea, in fact enjoys a mild climate, balanced and slightly humid throughout the year, which favors the natural drying of the pasta. Moreover, from the sources of Mount Faito, pure water gushes out, poor in chlorine, which the pasta factories of the city have always used for the production of pasta and which gives the final product unique and unmistakable characteristics, so as to deserve the brand in 2010 of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Among the many artisan factories that have made this land famous throughout the world, the Gentile Pasta Factory owned by the Zampino family stands out. Founded way back in 1876, this all-Italian brand still preserves, in the age of advanced technologies, the methods of artisanal production, the attention to every single detail, from the selection of raw materials to the control of the phases linked to production and packaging.
Alberto Zampino, what makes you so special?
Our pasta factory is a magical place, where the traditions and secrets of the past take shape thanks to a constant and scrupulous craftsmanship that for 3 generations has made our products special. The secret is to use exclusively the best semolina from strictly Italian wheat, the clear water of the local aquifers and the irreplaceable experience of my father, the pasta maker Natale. The processing is completed by a slow and delicate drying, according to the famous “Cirillo Method”.
What is this innovative method that gives the pasta a special flavor?
It is a method, devised in 1919 by an engineer from Torre Annunziata named Cirillo, who repurposes the same phenomenon of natural drying in pasta factories. This innovative process, combining radiator and fan, recreates the ideal temperature for drying that respects the times dictated by craftsmanship. Today our pasta factory carries on with passion and dedication a method that allows us to preserve the characteristics of taste, color and roughness of the drawn pasta.
You recently restored an old mill from 1650, today the company’s beating heart.
In 2016, the new site was inaugurated, located in the Valle dei Mulini in Gragnano, an area rich in historical, archaeological and environmental points of view. It is an ancient mill, completely renovated, where today customers can immerse themselves in the history of pasta production, purchase high quality products and taste the typical dishes of the local tradition.
For more information www.pastagentile.com info@pastagentile.com
