Gragnano in corsa

The history of pasta di Gragnano IGP

Gragnano is a town in the province of Naples, at the foot of the Lattari mountains, which for centuries has been famous all over the world for being the capital of pasta and the homeland of macaroni. This fame is due to the particular ingredients that only this place can provide: such as the humid climate and l&' trace mineral water from the Forma Spring and the Funnel. Documents from 1400 testify that millers began to produce artisanal pasta when wheat was ground and from 1500 onwards the first family-run pasta factories were built. The golden age for Gragnano was the 19th century for its many macaroni shops, and thanks to the passion, to &' the love and sweat of many families and workers, Gragnano pasta (then not yet IGP) is exported all over the world because of its unmistakable flavor, scent, quality and value. Musicians, writers, poets, philosophers have celebrated and praised Gragnano pasta and wine in their works.

Pasta di Gragnano IGP: who did we choose?

The Gragnano in Corsa pasta factory is located right here, in the “Valle dei Mulini”, where l&' water from the purest springs, excellent raw materials and the light breeze of the wind have made it possible to produce, for over five centuries, a unique pasta. Vincenzo Petrone, l&' the soul of this pasta factory, re-proposes in a modern key quest&' ancient tradition, creating superior quality durum wheat semolina pasta.

The history of this pasta factory combines the history of small producers who work in synergy with the miller to ensure that the semolina produced has unique quality requirements. Bronze drawing, as per Gragnano tradition, gives the pasta that characteristic roughness that allows the dressing to be better retained. L&' drying, finally, at low temperatures (never above 45°C) and in static cells for as long as necessary (no less than 48 hours) favors the surface fermentation phenomena that are the secret of &' aroma and the particular flavor of Gragnano pasta in Corsa.

Vincenzo has been carrying on this venture together with Filomena Sorrentino since 2006. Having collected the witness that entire families of pasta makers from Gragnano have passed on to each other for generations, Vincenzo and Filomena still produce pasta from Gragnano IGP, which, thanks to its quality and imagination, gives a wonderful image of Italy in the world.

But why is it called Gragnano in Corsa?
Vincenzo wanted to print a sentence on the packages: “Champions are not made in gyms. Champions are made with something deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision and nutrition.” These were the words of legendary American boxer Muhammad Ali. It all started from an experience that Vincenzo experienced and that particularly touched him, marking the course of his destiny: the Boston Marathon. Immediately after running the Marathon, the Pasta Party followed, which concludes this ancient and prestigious marathon in celebration. From here, the idea of undertaking this activity began to mature. Meanwhile, Filomena Sorrentino, after graduating in Food Science and Technology from the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Naples, began to manage a company with the Oro di Gragnano brand. Added to this is that of Gragnano in Corsa with which Vincenzo initially addressed an audience of athletes with the aim of transmitting the message that it is not pasta in itself that provides a high contribution of calories but its condiment. Gragnano in Corsa is now the official sponsor of the Rome Marathon and the Olona European Road Cross Championship

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