In 1916, at the age of 14, Domenico Cocco started to work in a pasta factory. Over the years his job turned into a passion and he soon learned the techniques and tricks of this art from the "Mastri Pastai" (pasta masters); in fact very soon people started calling him “Mastro Domenico”. He devoted his life to this fascinating job, guarded all its secrets and handed them down to his son Giuseppe, just like the old masters had done with him.
The old "Mastri Pastai" maintained that four ingredients are needed to make good pasta: mountain wheat, spring water, clean air for pasta drying and the processing technique.
The excellent organoleptic characteristics of the river Verde water, coming from natural springs, and the dry and ventilated climate, which assures the perfect pasta drying, are the two ingredients that nature has given to Fara San Martino; hence the special features of pasta produced here.
In 1944 Giuseppe Cocco started to work with his father. Together they had to go through the ordeal of finding the pasta machines parts, covered by the debris of the heavy bombings that destroyed Fara San Martino.
The machines were reconstructed and put back into operation. Those machines, memories and tricks are still used by Cavalier Giuseppe Cocco to produce traditional pasta, as good as back then, in Fara San Martino.
The old and precious machines are carefully controlled and followed by Cavalier Giuseppe Cocco. His unique experience accompanies all production phases, thus assuring that the protein and nutritional pasta features and its taste remain unspoiled. The "Mastro Pastaio" pours the durum wheat semolina into the kneader and slowly adds the crystal clear spring water, thus obtaining a homogenous and thick mix.
The mix goes through the bronze cutting die, which gives pasta the necessary roughness, that will then enhance the taste of the sauces. This is how spaghetti is made.
The winder, dating from 1910, rolls out the dough and its wooden rollers, like rolling pins, roll it out to the requested thickness, thus creating the nests.
The pasta is given its final shape and the most complex and delicate phase starts: the drying at natural temperature. The pasta quality, nutritional features and resistance to cooking depend on accurate and careful drying.
This stage is directly monitored by the "Mastro Pastaio", who decides the layout of the pasta on the beech wood frames, the necessary air quantity and also controls the static dryers.
These fully manual and traditional methods require more time and space; hence the small production quantity. However the traditional pasta taste and flavour are guaranteed.
Martinsicuro, Italy
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