Pasta di Gragnano is an PGI-protected dried pasta from the town of Gragnano on the Sorrentino Peninsula in Campania, about midway from Pompeii to both Sorrento and Amalfi.
The pasta of Gragnano was recognized for its quality long before King Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King of the Two Sicilies honored it, becoming known as "Re Lasagna" ("King Lasagna").
More importantly, Ferdinand standardized dried pasta by coming up with improved production methods, units of measure, and terminology for the manufacture of dried pasta.
Ferdinand recognized that high-quality dried pasta, being lightweight and capable of being stored for two years, could become key part of making the port of Naples into a major commercial and naval center. He aggressively promoted pasta and it was he who invented the four-tined fork, which was better for pasta than the two-tines meat forks of the day.
I visited Pasta Somma in Gragnano in June 2024. Proprietor Saturno Somma and his wife run the most traditional, old-school, artisan pasta business in this town built on dried pasta. He gave me a tour of the little "factory" during which he explained the chemical composition of the water and the durum semolina grain of Gragnano, the history of local pasta-making (including a large print of King Lasagna!), and the importance of bronze dies (they produce a rougher surface for better cooking al dente and for better sauce adhesion), and the importance of slow, controlled drying (also for texture).
This photo shows his artisanal bronze-extruded, slow-dried fusilli alongside some store-bought commercial penne that was made using common factory methods. The shiny surface and gold color are indicators of factory production.
Before the advent of controlled drying cabinets, the pasta-makers of Gragnano would hang their pasta out to dry like laundry, and the main street in town was oriented to catch the sea breezes. Today most makers of Pasta di Gragnano dry their pasta under controlled conditions over two days. Somma does it slower, taking three days. By contrast, the big factories dry it in 2-10 hours!
I enjoyed the tour and I was so intrigued by the story that I ordered some pasta to be sent home. The minimum order was 10 kg. This was 20 packages of 500g each, representing 16 different types. We don't normally eat a lot of pasta, but he assured me that it is shelf-stable for two years.
Since then I have prepared them for friends (mostly), for just me and Lorna, or for just me. Our experiences have been uniformly positive, particularly with regard to texture and flavor compared to our local supermarket brands. Now we know to watch for Pasta di Gragnano on the package - Garofalo is one brand that I see in some supermarkets around here. As for me, my original supply of 20 packages has dwindled to only three, so I am preparing a new order based on what I have learned in the past 9 months!