Pasta from the Pastificio Gino Girolomoni

100% original Italian Rapunzel pasta since 1989

The traditional pastificio (Italian for pasta factory) from which Rapunzel pasta originates is located in the idyllic Isola del Piano in the middle of the hilly landscape of the Italian Marche region. Pasta from Italy and Rapunzel have belonged together almost since the beginning of the company’s history – in 1981, the organic pioneers Joseph Wilhelm and Gino Girolomoni, Italy’s visionary & pioneer of organic farming, found each other – mainly thanks to their shared values.

EU Organic Award: a milestone for quality and sustainability

The EU Organic Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of organic farming in Europe. Every year, the award recognises outstanding achievements along the entire organic supply chain – from farms to organic processors and retailers. The award emphasises the commitment of the award-winning players to the highest organic quality, sustainability and transparent production.

Eu-Organic Award winner Gino Girolomoni

It is a special honour that our long-standing pasta supplier Gino Girolomoni has won this prestigious award. More than almost any other company, Gino Girolomoni stands for the values that are also close to our hearts at Rapunzel: organic farming, sustainable production methods and a deep respect for people and nature. Giovanni Battista Girolomoni, the son of the founder, emphasises: “This award is not only an honour for our work, but also a recognition of the philosophy that our father Gino has lived from the very beginning: To respect the Earth and make the most of its gifts.”

Winning the EU Organic Award is further proof that genuine organic quality, as produced by Gino Girolomoni, makes a difference – and this is exactly what makes this pasta a special treat that combines tradition and innovation.

Gino Girolomoni, the son of a farmer from a humble background, was an early advocate of revitalising the social and economic conditions of his rural homeland. Fascinated by the ruins of the Montebello monastery, an enchanted and mystical place, he established an exclusively organic co-operative there in 1977. It is thanks to his organic pioneering work that traditional grain cultivation in this region still offers prospects for farmers today.

Pastificio Gino Girolomoni – more than organic

Promotion of organic farming & sustainable commitment

The co-operative, which is now named after the place where it was established, has grown steadily over the years thanks to Gino’s visionary powers of persuasion. Some 200 farmers grow organic durum wheat, emmer and other cereals. Most of the grain is processed into original Italian pasta.

Farmers use various pulses as catch crops to increase soil fertility. Four agricultural engineers support the farmers in all matters relating to organic farming.

Gino Girolomoni established the co-operative in the Montebello monastery

The co-operative offers:

Fair prices for farmers
Guarantee for the acceptance of harvests
Promotion of organic grain cultivation in the Italian Marche region
High quality standards and continuous improvement of the grain
Initiative for seed-resistant, i.e. renewable, durum wheat
Preservation and cultivation of old varieties such as emmer and Graziella Ra

"For us, food is not just the processing and preparation of food, it is much more. It is a gift, spirituality, friendship, brotherhood, beauty, warmth, colour, wisdom, fragrance, simplicity, community."

Gino Girolomoni

Gino Girolomoni’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond organic farming. The warehouse, which went into operation in 2005, is made of wood and was built according to ecological criteria. The pastificio uses 100 per cent renewable energy from photovoltaic systems, wind turbines and a wood chip heating system. The goal: CO²-neutral pasta production.

Gino passed away unexpectedly in 2012. In the meantime, his two sons Giovanni and Samuele continue to run the co-operative and the pastificio in his spirit. His daughter Maria looks after the agriturismo on Montebello and the family’s own locanda. To her, agriturismo means: holidays in harmony with nature. Here, holidaymakers can get a taste of the Italian countryside, visit the educational farm and the pastificio and indulge in fresh pasta.

The next generation: Maria, Samuele and Giovanni

All from a single source

The secret to Rapunzel pasta

The unique thing about Gino Girolomoni’s pasta: In addition to the pastificio, Gino Girolomoni has also owned its own state-of-the-art flour mill since 2019. This step means that the entire production process, from grain to pasta, is in one hand. This creates maximum transparency and traceability, long transport routes are avoided and the milled grain is freshly processed without long storage times.

Various grain sizes of semolina are used for the dough, from very fine to coarse. Rapunzel pasta is produced in the traditional Italian way in the pastificio. This takes only two ingredients: the best organic grain and pure spring water.

The two ingredients are kneaded into a smooth dough for around 20 minutes in an airtight kneading machine. It should not be too firm or too runny so that it can be moulded nicely.

Immediately afterwards, the fresh pasta dough is pressed through a mould, a kind of template. Depending on the mould shape, thin spaghetti, twisted spirelli, flower-shaped torchiette and many other varieties are produced. Special bronze moulds are used for part of the Rapunzel Semola range. This makes the surface of the pasta rougher and the sauce adheres better to the pasta. Teflon is used for the wholemeal variants. This is because the surface of the pasta is rougher anyway due to the bran it still contains.

Depending on the shape, spaghetti, spirelli, farfalle and many other pasta specialities are produced. The drying process is decisive for the quality of the pasta. It is dried slowly and gently for up to twelve hours.
For comparison: In large pasta factories, the pasta is dried at high temperatures within a few hours.

After the slow and gentle drying process, the pasta is sustainably packaged in 100% paper.

This is what makes Rapunzel pasta stand out

100% original Italian
made from freshly ground organic grain
gentle drying for the best flavour and preservation of the ingredients
kcooks perfectly al dente
maximum transparency and traceability from the pasta to the grain
Organic by conviction

Rapunzel pasta variety

Durum wheat – the classic in wholemeal or semola pasta!

The pasta is made from the best Italian durum wheat semolina in accordance with the purity law in force in Genoa since 1547.

Emmer – the original form of spelt!

The pasta with a slightly nutty flavour has the perfect al dente bite and contains valuable minerals.

Pasta from the Pastificio Gino Girolomoni

– Semola –

Spaghettini semola, no.3

Spaghetti semola, no.5

Spaghettoni semola, no. 7

Penne semola

Spirelli semola

Spirelli Tricolore semola coloured

Tagliatelle semola

Makkaroni semola

Farfalle semola

Rigatoni semola

Torchiette semola

Soup vermicelli semola

Soup noodles semola coloured (letters)

Millet spirelli semola

– Wholemeal –

Spaghetti wholemeal

Penne wholemeal

Spirelli wholemeal

Soup vermicelli wholemeal

– Emmer –

Emmer wheat Spaghetti semola

Emmer wheat Penne semola

Emmer wheat Spirelli semola

Emmer wheat Spaghetti wholemeal

Emmer wheat Spirelli wholemeal

Emmer wheat Penne wholemeal

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FAQ

FAQ about Pasta

What is gluten?

Gluten, also known as gluten protein, is a group of certain proteins found in cereal grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats. The gluten content is of decisive importance for the baking properties of a flour. Gluten protein binds up to three times its weight in water when it becomes moist. In the process, it develops rubber-like, elastic properties. Like a skeleton, the gluten threads run through the bread dough and ensure that a fine-pored, loose dough forms. The quantitatively and qualitatively highest gluten is provided by wheat, to which it also owes its excellent baking properties. Some people are allergic to this protein due to a metabolic disorder. With sprue or coeliac disease, the medical names for this intolerance, a lifelong gluten intolerance remains. Coeliac disease and sprue are chronic diseases of the small intestine that manifest in childhood or do not appear until adulthood. Since the organism has an intolerance to the gluten protein, those affected must eat a gluten-free diet. The following grains are gluten-free in their unprocessed state: Rice, maize, millet, buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa.

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What are the black dots on Rapunzel pasta?

All Rapunzel pasta still contains parts of the bran. This is quite natural for wholemeal pasta, but semola pasta is also made from so-called ground durum wheat semolina (types between 812 and 1050). These bran particles, which consist to a considerable extent of dietary fibre, darken more than the rest of the ingredients when the pasta dries and become visible as small, dark dots in the pasta. For you as a customer, this is an indication that even in semola quality there is still a proportion of bran that represents neither contamination nor mould.

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Are the edge layers and the seedling removed when making wholemeal pasta?

For Rapunzel wholemeal pasta, the grain is ground to semolina, to a grain size of approx. 200-500 μm. During the production of the wholemeal semolina in Italy, the outermost part of the fruit skin is removed. Wholemeal semolina contains approx. 90% of the grain, i.e., most of the husk and 100% of the germ. Rapunzel wholemeal pasta corresponds to an average flour type of 1600. This process is typical for an Italian durum wheat pasta without egg. The outermost part of the hull is removed to ensure optimal consistency and cohesion of the pasta. This also has a positive effect on the taste.

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What is the degree of grinding of Rapunzel Semola Pasta?

The light Italian pasta is made from ground durum wheat semolina. For this purpose, the bran is sieved off and thus contains only 50% of the germ. Classic pasta semola contains approx. 65% of the whole grain, which corresponds to an ash content (= flour type) of approx. 850 on average. The so-called “flour type” is usually only a common indication for flour, but this number provides information about the ash content of the milled grain product and suggests the amount of husk in it.

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Which cereals belong to the so-called original cereals?

The original cereals include einkorn, emmer, spelt and kamut.

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What is emmer pasta and how does it differ from durum wheat pasta?

Emmer, also popularly known as summer spelt, is one of the original cereals. The Italian emmer for Rapunzel pasta is sown in November and harvested in July. It is protected from harmful environmental influences and fungal attack by its hard husk. Emmer pasta has a slightly darker, more yellowish colour. It tastes slightly nutty and is more aromatic than the classic durum wheat pasta. In terms of cooking properties, both varieties are comparable.

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What are the advantages of emmer over spelt?

The close relationship of emmer to durum wheat makes it the perfect grain for original Italian pasta. Its firmer grain compared to spelt gives the pasta the perfect al-dente bite.

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Why is emmer also known as “summer spelt”?

Summer spelt is the common name for emmer. Unfortunately, nobody can say for sure today why it was given this name in the vernacular. However, it shows the long history of cultivation of the original cereal in Germany

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How does emmer pasta differ from durum wheat pasta?

Emmer pasta has a slightly darker, more yellowish color. It tastes slightly nutty and more aromatic than classic durum wheat pasta. In terms of cooking properties, the two varieties are comparable.

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What is the advantage of the spelt grain emmer?

Emmer grain is protected in a hard husk. This was a great advantage in the primitive storage conditions of early agriculture. Even today, the husk has an important benefit - it protects the grain from harmful environmental influences and fungal attack.

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Is emmer a winter or summer cereal?

Emmer is available as both a summer and a winter grain. The Italian emmer for Rapunzel pasta is sown in November and harvested in July. It is therefore a winter grain.

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