Fam. Fabbri, 5 generation pasta advocates in Tuscany

Read the article on “Zest of Italy” 

“What strikes me the most of Fabbri is that they can make pasta with any kind of wheat – especially easy to digest and intolerance-free old varieties – as long as they are sourced from small millers and farmers. Simple conditions for a big impact on what is at stake, the healthiness of Italy’s #1 staple.”

“L: What about the last point, the drying at low temperatures?"

M: This makes me laugh and upset at the same time. There’s no industry benchmark for what low temperature means or should be. It’s left to subjective and opportunistic decisions and even worse it’s unknown to consumers. Luca Gargano of Velier conducted a scientific study on premium quality Italian pasta artisans to find out we are the only one standing for what we claim.”

“L: What do you mean exactly?"

M: Some pasta makers declare drying at low-temp, for 5 or more days but when monitored by a food technologist none of this adds up. In a testing laboratory it’s easy to spot who is working below the thermal damage oxidative temp, 40°C – with loss of di oligo-elements, flavonoids, polyphenols – or lower than the Maillard reaction aka the caramelization of sugars, ca 50°C. For steaks, dumplings or bread Maillard provides a distinctive flavor but drying pasta above this threshold implies starch gelatinization, which in our plates makes the pasta indigestible and the gluten unabsorbed. Ultimately wheat is debased to something that does not exist in nature.”