PrimoGrano Sagne a Pezzi

Primo grano meaning “first grain” in Italian, was the idea of pastamaker Gianluigi Peduzzi, who wanted to bring back the flavors of authentic pasta made with 100% Abruzzo-grown wheat like those that his grandfather, Gaetano Sergiacomo, made at his mill in the town of Penne at the turn of the last century. Through a research study sponsored by Rustichella d’Abruzzo, the Istituto dei Cereali di Foggia identified local heritage wheat varieties including San Carolo, Varano, and Mongibello, which proved ideal for pasta making.

Every year, Rustichella d’Abruzzo and a small group of farmers from the surrounding hills of Pianella do a special planting of these selected varieties. After the July harvest, the wheat is kept protected in the hull, then milled to order and made into PrimoGrano Pasta in small batches throughout the year. The soft and fragrant wheat is made into some of the traditional shapes made by Gaetano Sergiacomo. Sagne a Pezzi, meaning "broken lasagne in pieces," is made in a similar fashion to Pizzichi, using a thin, curled lasagna die, then cut into squares about 1 inch in length.

Wrapped in a bright green paper bag with white sprigs of wheat to celebrate these 100 % Abruzzo grains, PrimoGrano is pasta made for the true pasta lover. Fragrant as freshly baked bread with a supple and soft texture, PrimoGrano Sagne a Pezzi are ideal to be served with olive oil-based sauces. The simpler the preparation, the better, so one can taste the unique flavor of the Abruzzo-grown wheat.

Cooking Time: 7-9 minutes.