Martelli Pasta comes from Lari. A place in the heart of Tuscany, in the province of Pisa, 65 kilometers from Florence, 75 from Siena. Pure idyll between olive groves and vineyards, a majestic castle with views all the way to the sea, narrow alleys, nice shops, two cafés, two butcher shops, a wine bar, 1,200 inhabitants. A hidden gem off the main roads.
There, the Martelli family business produces its five types of pasta: spaghetti, spaghettini, fusilli, penne, and macaroni.
The Martellis use only semolina from local durum wheat; the dough is slowly mixed with added water and slowly pressed through bronze dies. This creates the legendary rough surface, the trofilatura al bronzo, the ultimate in pasta making.
However – bronze pressing is expensive. That’s why industrial producers use Teflon-coated dies – resulting in mostly smooth surfaces. The principle of slowness continues in drying. “50 hours at 35 degrees Celsius,” explains Luca Martelli, “mass producers would go out of business. They prefer to accept the disadvantage that with 90-degree quick drying, part of the starch gels and leads to a gummy texture.” Martelli, then. Hardly any Michelin-starred chef in Tuscany uses any other pasta.
Dino Martelli – Pasta Producer
The 70-year-old – a certificate names him Cavaliere della Repubblica, bearer of Italy’s highest honor – is head of a family clan that includes his wife Lucia, daughter Laura, son Luca, brother Mario, his children Chiara and Lorenzo, and Chiara’s husband Giacomo. Famiglia di Pastai, the pasta family.
Their pasta manufactory in Lari is one of the best addresses in the country.
