In the collective imagination, pasta is synonymous with Italian cuisine. After all, it is the main ingredient of many dishes of the beautiful country. Italians not only prepare it in every way but consume up to 30 kg per year each. And there are also many production traditions of our country that have made this food their distinctive brand.
Never before, when we have so much variety in the choice, is it important to know the production processes of what we eat. All the more so if we believe that eating well contributes significantly to our “well-being”.
We focus on the pasta drying procedure which is used to eliminate moisture after it has been kneaded and drawn.
Pasta drying: historical notes
The drying processes have changed a lot in just over a hundred years, and this thanks to technology, which has made production faster and has made it possible to significantly reduce costs.
In 1880, for example, it took 8-10 days in the summer, and almost a month in the winter, to dry the spaghetti, the most popular pasta format for Italians. Then, with the advent of mechanization, in 1950 24-36 hours were enough, bringing the drying temperature to 60 °. Today these times have been further reduced. The technology allows to exceed even 100 ° for drying and the short pasta is ready in 2-3 hours. With undeniable advantages for the food industry, especially thanks to the speeding up of processes and the reduction of costs.
What are the implications for consumers? Let’s see them in detail.
The main consequences of a drying process carried out at such high temperatures are the alterations in the nutritional characteristics of the pasta and its good resistance during cooking, even when using raw materials that are not excellent. It also alters the color – which becomes darker and so does the flavor.
This is why following an artisanal production process allows not only to respect the raw material but to guarantee the final product, that is what we eat, all the nutritional characteristics necessary for a healthy diet. Because, perhaps it is worth reiterating, it is through food that we take in the nutrients necessary to keep us healthy.
How is Vestri pasta dried?
Vestri pasta gives the drying time necessary to run its course, at temperatures that do not exceed 38 ° C: in this way the nutritional properties are left unaltered but also all the taste and flavor of the pasta made is regained. natural.
The Vestri farm’s pasta is made from ancient grain flours grown in Tuscany and then stone ground. The wheat is grown following the principles of natural Shumei agriculture, a Japanese technique that is based on the desire not to change the rhythm of nature.
Ancient durum wheat whole wheat flour and cold water are the only ingredients of Vestri pasta. The formats are those dear to both the Italian tradition – spaghetti, tagliatelle, penne, paccheri – and the Tuscan one, in which the company roots sink, with the format of gigli or that of pici, the typical pasta of the Val di Chiana, in the province of Arezzo, whose skeins are rolled up by hand one by one.
The philosophy behind the Vestri Farm will be illustrated on the occasion of the Breath of the Earth, an event promoted by the La Grande Via Association, which will take place from 12 to 14 July 2019, at the Mausolea, in Soci, in the province of Arezzo.
Source:
The Food Fact
