The slow natural drying process, the use of quality raw materials, the
adoption of organic before others. History of a pasta factory rooted in Emilia,
but which flies to every corner of the world. Giampaolo Colletti interviews
Massimo Andalini, president of Pastificio Andalini (Andalini pasta factory) for
FARE INSIEME
di Giampaolo Colletti
@gpcolletti
The best
recipes are the most simple, with a few quality ingredients making the
difference. In this case the ingredients are eggs, water and durum wheat semolina to prepare a good and genuine pasta like the one of the past. The
recipe is by Arrigo Andalini and Egletina Aleotti, who in the second post-war
period in Italy literally decided to keep… their hands in the dough. So these
two youngsters from Emilia, after years of apprenticeship in the historic pasta
factory Barbieri of Cento, transformed work into passion and passion into work.
It all started with their small artisan shop of fresh pasta, which then scaled
markets, interest, turnover. In 1956 the Andalini & Aleotti pasta factory
was established. They chose as location the historic centre of Cento, today
thirty-five thousand souls in the province of Ferrara. A borderland because it
is positioned about twenty kilometres away from Bologna and about forty from
Modena. Three provinces that best represent a fine attention to good food. So
let's go back to the pasta factory, committed to producing fresh pasta with a
few simple, natural, certified ingredients. Attention to tradition and adoption
of innovative technologies. All in a perfect mix, as every winning recipe knows
how to be. The choice initially falls on the egg. On the other hand, Cento has always been a crossroads for
egg pasta. From where the various types of egg pasta, such as tagliatelle,
garganelli, maccheroni al pettine, gramigna, farfalle, or the pasta ideal for
soup, such as the pastina or the padellini, which are nothing more than the
wonderful squares with broth, take their origin. Not to forget also penne,
fusilli, gobbini. In 1992 Massimo
Andalini, son of Arrigo and Egletina, acquired the pasta factory from his
parents and from other partners, becoming the sole owner. And immediately takes
an important managerial decision: the creation of the new factory in via
Martiri di Belfiore, which has grown over the years and is still in constant
evolution and constant modernisation. Then, in 2013, there was the
transition to a joint stock company, which meant scalability. A significant
moment that took place with the third generation at work. Today Andalini
records a turnover of 18 million euros, divided between 8 million for the
domestic market and 10 million for abroad. In this case we are talking mainly
about Europe with Germany, France, Great Britain and Belgium figuring as main
consumers. But there are also the United States and Australia. The brand
markets under its name in Emilia-Romagna, lower Veneto and the upper part of
the Marche region. But it is widespread everywhere as a private label product
for the Italian and foreign chains or for school canteens. A company that is an
extended family, with 38 employees divided into three production lines: a line
for pasta nests, namely tagliatelle, and two short pasta lines, one of which is
intended for specialities. All three convey into six packaging lines. Because
the pasta factory is equipped for different types of packaging with shrink
trays for pasta nests or for pasta tangles in
flow packs. Then there is the gusset packaging, the double square bottom
packaging with the bags of 1, 3 and 5 kilogrammes for the HORECA market and
also the packaging up to 600 kilogrammes in bags,
called big bags, addressed to those companies that prepare ready-made dishes or
dishes prepared at a temperature that is modified, sterilised or with a
protected atmosphere and for which the pastificio Andalini (Andalini pasta
factory) is a supplier of raw materials.
Between the regions of Emilia and Puglia. Roots
anchored to the Emilia region, which is the essential ingredient for this
successful recipe, but with the ability to look beyond. Vision and courage.
Thus, in 2000 the purchase of the La Sovrana pasta factory in Canosa di Puglia,
about twenty employees for a turnover of around 6 million euros, centred on
semolina with two production lines: the first for the spaghetti family and the
second for short pasta. All completely renovated, but always in the name of
tradition. "The Emilia region is to egg pasta as the Puglia region is to
semolina pasta. The pastificio Andalini (Andalini pasta factory) takes the La
Sovrana pasta factory in Canosa di Puglia under its wing to best express the
culture of Mediterranean pasta with the production of special semolina pasta",
so we read online. «Our production lines are different from those of
traditional industry, which offers lines of 70-80 tons per hour. Our philosophy
still today is linked to a line of ten tons per hour and that guarantees a
natural drying process to the product. I would also say a slow drying process
because the slow processing at low temperature, i.e. between 60 and 70 degrees,
for example, allows spaghetti to dry at 23 hours, when the market usually
prefers 5 or 6 hours. But in this way, i.e. with our method, the gluten mesh
that makes up the dough remains stretched, the starch is still. Thus, the pasta
remains soft and maintains the elasticity, flavour and aroma of the raw
material in the boiling cooking water. With a high temperature drying process
we would lose these organoleptic properties. On the other hand, our
grandmothers made the dough and put it to dry on the loom in the open air»,
Andalini specifies.
Ingredients that make the difference. Then there
is another element that speaks volumes about being innovators in tradition and
pioneers in excellence. And it is the choice of organic egg for the Cento pasta
factory, while in Canosa the bet is on organic semolina pasta. We were one of
the first pasta factories to make semolina and egg pasta for more than thirty
years. The authentic flavour of egg pasta is rooted in our history. We live in
a fast-paced society that often pushes us to eat sometimes without thinking.
Instead, that recollection of the time spent whilst having a meal is important for
us. On the other hand, we are artisans, observant to the safety of a food
industry that evolves over time, which is characterised by controls and
healthiness»,
says Andalini.
History becomes the
future. So the pasta factory decided to bet on the industry 4.0, with more
accurate controls on the processes. Then there is the alternative and
eco-sustainable packaging that is oriented towards paper, which is recyclable
and completely compostable. And there is also an advanced use of the production
and packaging machines: today there is no longer manual porterage, but the
adoption of remote-controlled electronic trolleys and robotic anthropomorphic
arms. After all, it is robots that become more competitive in routine work on
the market, while people make a difference on the products. «Human capital is
essential, but sometimes we struggle to find trained personnel. And then there
is the ballast of bureaucracy, which weighs down doing business. This is why
the future passes from alliances, from teaming up between different teams»,
concludes Andalini, with his heart tied to his land and his head always
projected towards the future.
https://podcast.confindustriaemilia.it/
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