Pasta d’Alba was born in the heart of the Langhe region, thanks to an intuition of its founder Dario Mainardi and his wife Rosangela, a naturopath: to create an organic family-run artisanal pasta factory where quality, tradition, and innovation meet. In our family, we have always shared a love for organic food and healthy eating, and the birth of our three children Marco, Luisa, and Laura was the right push to realize this project. Our adventure started in 2006 and, year after year, production has grown rapidly and steadily, confirming the quality of the product and the efficient management of customer relations. Our headquarters is in Diano d’Alba and hosts two separate production laboratories: the first one where we work with all the classic and local flours of the artisanal line and some typical recipes of the area.
THE TERRITORY
Our pasta is made only with organic flours that are processed immediately after milling; the drying process is slow and at low temperature, for at least 20 hours. This allows us to preserve the properties of the grains and their taste as much as possible. Many of the grains and raw materials we use come from the surrounding hills: the Langhe, a fertile land and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, many farmers cultivate with passion, following classic and nature-respecting methods. For many productions, we have chosen to use Senator Cappelli durum wheat semolina, an ancient variety; increasingly, we strive to use authentic grain varieties for our productions, which have not undergone any genetic manipulation by humans.
IL TERRITORIO
Our town, Alba, is renowned for its scenic beauty, rich historical and cultural heritage, and excellent wine and food production. We are in the heart of the Langhe, a hilly region characterized by vineyards, hazelnut groves, and breathtaking landscapes. This area is famous for producing some of Italy’s finest wines and for being the homeland of the International White Truffle Fair of Alba, an annual event that attracts visitors from all over the world to celebrate the white truffle, a precious mushroom that grows in the surrounding hills. We invite you to wander through the cobbled streets often adorned with ancient palaces and churches, until you reach the focal point of the city where the majestic Cathedral of St. Lorenzo stands, and then to pause at one of the many gastronomic spots to delight your palate with the products of our territory.
PAIRINGS
Our pasta can be paired with a wide range of ingredients to create delicious and satisfying dishes. Here are some combinations that we suggest from traditional Italian cuisine:
With meat sauces such as beef or pork ragù, lamb stew, or wild boar sauce. The sauce perfectly blends with the pasta’s texture, creating a hearty and satisfying dish.
With freshly grated truffle and mushrooms, another typical ingredient of Piedmontese cuisine.
With cheeses, especially gorgonzola, taleggio, and Parmigiano.
With seasonal vegetables for a lighter and vegetarian option. Fresh tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, bell peppers, or spinach can be used to prepare a light and colorful sauce to serve with the pasta.
With seafood such as mussels, clams, shrimp, or calamari. Fresh or frozen seafood can be used to prepare a seafood sauce to dress the pasta
LOCAL CUISINE
We’d like to introduce you to one of our typical dishes that you will always find on the tables of the people from Alba: “tajarin al tartufo bianco d’Alba”, during the months from October to December when the truffle is at its peak of freshness and flavor. Tajarin is a variety of fresh pasta similar to spaghetti, but thinner and hand-cut. It is made with flour, eggs, and sometimes a pinch of salt, and its consistency is soft and delicate.
The white truffle of Alba, on the other hand, is one of the culinary treasures of the region, a precious mushroom with an intense aroma and a unique flavor. It is mainly harvested in the woods around Alba during the autumn season.
To prepare the dish, fresh tajarin is cooked in salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, a simple sauce is prepared with butter and freshly grated truffle. When the pasta is ready, it is drained and dressed with the truffle sauce. Some chefs also add a bit of cream to make the sauce creamier.