The Pasta Factory Agrimò

We transform our semolina into artisanal bronze-drawn pasta and dry it at low temperatures for 20–50 hours . This method reduces the formation of furosine, preserving proteins and improving digestibility.

From typical Apulian shapes—orecchiette, sagne 'ncannulate—to spaghettoni and paccheri, each pasta is a tribute to slower pace and Salento's gastronomic culture.

1. Dough

The beginning of the form

The cold dough (<36°C) is prepared with the precise amount of water needed, calibrated based on the shape and the flour used.

The balance between water and semolina is what gives pasta its structure and identity.

2. Wire drawing

The art of bronze

The pasta is shaped through bronze dies, which give it roughness and the ability to hold the sauces.

The machines work slowly so as not to heat the dough and respect the original aromas and properties of the grain, just as happens in the mill.

3. Ventilation

Natural protection

Before being rolled out on frames (for short pasta) or on rods (for long pasta), the pasta is cold-ventilated .

This creates a thin outer crust that preserves the shape, protects the pasta and prepares it for the long drying process.

4. Drying

The time of quality

Drying is the crucial step: slow, uniform, and at low temperatures. Each shape has its own "recipe": from 20–22 hours for the simplest shapes to 40–50 hours for the more complex ones. (spaghetti, spaghettoni, linguine).

We do not exceed 38°C (rare exceptions up to 45°C for the first few hours), ensuring a process that preserves the proteins and minimizes the formation of furosine .

The pasta factory in the field

Our transformation begins within 15 days of milling , when the semolina fresh from the mill arrives at the pasta factory.

Here, the work of enhancing the raw materials continues, in a process that preserves their original aromas, nutrients, and flavors intact.

Each step is slow, controlled, and carried out at low temperatures, to ensure authentic, digestible pasta full of character.

Italian-style dry pasta

recognize quality

Pasta is a daily activity, but not all pasta is created equal. On this page, we'll explain—in a simple and clear way—what really goes into making Italian-style dried pasta : from the ingredients to the production processes, to the tricks for recognizing quality pasta at a glance.

Four small gestures that change the way you choose pasta:

✔ Break a shape: If the inside is floury and opaque, you're looking at a slow-dried pasta. If it's glassy, it was pre-cooked while drying.

✔ Observe the surface: The natural roughness is the sign of a pasta that welcomes the sauce, not rejects it.

✔ Watch what happens during cooking: Well-made pasta holds its shape during cooking, doesn't fall apart, and stays alive.

Remember: pasta has little impact on the cost of the dish . The difference is in the taste, not in your wallet.

No, not alone. The die is important, but it's the drying process that determines true quality. Without the proper mixing, extrusion, and drying times, pasta remains an industrial product even if "bronze" is written in large letters.

Durum wheat (Triticum durum)

Warm, yellow-amber color
Greater protein richness
Higher gluten potential
Perfect for giving strength to the pasta and keeping it al dente

Soft wheat

White/grey colour
Lower protein
Excellent for leavened products, not for dry pasta
Does not allow for a true strong gluten mesh

Because it takes time: time to dry, time to respect the semolina, time to not pre-cook it.

On the plate, the economic difference is minimal. But the difference in taste is enormous. Here are the three main steps:

(A) DOUGH

Semolina and water meet.

The mix passes through a continuous screw machine that works slowly and precisely.

The movement and hydration allow the proteins in the semolina to combine and form the gluten mesh : a natural network that will give strength to the pasta and allow it to hold its shape during cooking.

Structure is born here. Strength is born here.

(B) EXTRUSION

The dough is pushed through a die , which determines its shape: spaghetti, penne, fusilli. A blade cuts the pasta to the desired length.

At this stage, a significant part of the surface porosity comes into play, influenced by: (1) die material, (2) extrusion speed, and (3) working temperature. A slow and controlled extrusion preserves the dough and prepares the pasta to bind the sauce better.

(C) DRYING

This is the most delicate phase. It serves to eliminate excess water until the final humidity level does not exceed 12.5% .

Drying at high temperatures causes a partial gelation of the carbohydrates: the pasta is effectively pre-cooked , with a more compact and crystalline internal structure.

Slow drying, on the other hand, leaves the semolina raw inside , creates natural porosity and returns a lively, elastic pasta, capable of holding the sauce.

No. It guarantees a territory and a way of working, not the origin of the grain. It's a cultural value, not an absolute proof of quality.

It's the protein network that gives pasta its elasticity, firmness, and ability to stay al dente. It's formed thanks to water, energy, and the quality of the semolina.

It's the silent secret of a pasta that doesn't fall apart.