Gragnano pasta is born from a fortunate meeting between landscape, climate, and human ingenuity. Nestled between the Lattari Mountains and the Bay of Naples, this small town of the Campania region, with its unique geography and steady, sea-tempered humidit, has long offered ideal conditions for naturally drying pasta.
The history of Mulino Imperatore, Antico Pastificio reflects Italy’s enduring belief in the excellence of its culinary traditions.
For generations we have selected only the best durum wheats from our countryside, working with farmers who share our love for the land and respect for the cycles of the seasons. Our bond with the landscape is a pact of trust that transforms raw materials into precious products, rich in nutrients and authentic flavors.
Durum wheat semolina is blended with the pure waters of the Lattari Mountains until a smooth, elastic, and firm dough forms. This slow mixing process preserves the semolina’s qualities, maintaining its color, aroma, and nutritional value.
The dough is shaped by passing through bronze dies, which provide the pasta with its shapes and, above all, its rough, porous surface. This characteristic is a fundamental aspect of the distinctive flavour and exceptional sauce-clinging ability of Gragnano pasta.
Once the shapes are formed, they are subjected to a drying process that may endure for a period of up to 60 hours at low controlled temperatures. This process, reminiscent of ancient Gragnano techniques, preserves organoleptic qualities and imparts a more compact and fragrant texture.
The wheat we use comes from high-protein Italian varieties and is milled into coarse semolina, perfectly suited to give our pasta a full-bodied texture and rich flavor. The water, sourced from the springs of Gragnano and naturally low in minerals, enhances the dough’s elasticity and facilitates a slow, all-natural production process.
This combination is regulated by the PGI specification of Protected Geographical Indication.
